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THE 



RISE AND PROGRESS 



OF THE 



GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, 



WITH 



ANECDOTES OF THE PROJECTOR 
AND HIS EARLY ASSOCIATES. 



BEING 

A PREFATORY INTRODUCTION 

TO THE 

GENERAL INDEX TO THAT WORK, 

FROM 1787 TO 1818. 



By JOHN NICHOLS, F.S. A. Lond. Edin. & Perth. 



LONDON. 

PRINTED FOR JOHN NICHOLS AND SON, ^25, PARLIAMENT-STREET; 
AND J. HARRIS AND SON, AT THE CORNER OF ST. PAUL's CHURCH-YARD, 

1821. 




John Nichols and Son, Printers, 
25, Parliament Street,. Westminster. 



PREFACE 



X N presenting to the numerous and respectable Readers of 
the Gentleman's Magazine a General Index to the Volumes 
from 1787 to 1818, it may not be irrelevant to request their 
re-perusal of the Preface already given to the First Volume of the 
former Index ; more particularly when they are informed that 
the greater part of that Preface was written, and the whole of it 
corrected, by my illustrious Predecessor, Dr. Samuel Johnson. 
Whatever interest the public events from 1731 to 1786 might 
be entitled to claim, those nearer our own times are at least 
equally important; and very few, it is hoped, of the many 
remarkable occurrences of so momentous a period are omitted 
in the present Volumes. 

At the advanced age of seventy-six, it will scarcely be 
expected that I should undertake the extreme labour of so 
multifarious a compilation. But I have entrusted it, under the 
immediate superintendance of my Son, to more than one 
diligent and able Assistant; and have myself, by revising every 
line in the proof-sheets, been able, from personal recollection, 
to supply many omissions, and correct some occasional mistakes. 

The Gentleman's Magazine has now for 90 years enjoyed 
the highly-prized honour of being the repository of communica- 
tions from many of the most eminent Writers of that long 
period ; and has been uniformly favoured by the patronage of 
those whose applause is fame. Many of its Rivals and Compe- 
titors have *' strutted their hour upon the stage," and are now 
forgotten ; whilst the labours of Sylvanus Urban, the earliest 
publication of the kind, still boldly compete with the proudest 
of similar productions of the present age. 

Not to enter too deeply into the arcana of a Miscellaneous 
Publication, the very nature of which depends on a sort of 
Masonic secresy, it may not be improper to introduce a few 
anecdotes, and to unfold some particulars, over which conceal- 
ment is no longer needful. If 1 should in some instances be 
thought too minute, let it be attributed to the proper cause, the 
natural garrulity of age, 

a 2 



IV PREFACE. 

This long- established Periodical Miscellany was commenced, 
in January 1731, by Edward Cave ; who, by the admirable Me- 
moir of Dr. Johnson, has been consigned to deserved celebrity. 
As the great Biographer justly remarks, "few Lives would 
have more Readers, if all those who received improvement or 
entertainment from him should retain so much kindness for 
their Benefactor as to enquire after his conduct and character." 
From that excellent Memoir, and from the pleasant volumes of 
Mr. BoswELL, such extracts shall here be taken as relate to the 
Magazine ; with such particulars as I have otherwise been able 
to collect respecting the history of Cave's darling project. 

We learn from the great Biographer, that Edward Cave was 
born Feb. 29, 1691-2, at Rugby, in Warwickshire ; and that 
he was educated in the Grammar School of that Town, under 
the Rev. Henry Holyoke. 

" After quitting the school, young Cave was placed with 
a Collector of the Excise. He used to recount with some 
pleasure a journey or two which he rode with him as his 
clerk, and relate the victories he gained over the Excisemen 
in grammatical disputations. But the insolence of his mistress, 
who employed him in servile drudgery, quickly disgusted him ; 
and he went up to London in quest of more suitable employment. 
" He was recommended to a Timber-merchant at the Bank- 
side, and, while he was there on liking, is said to have given 
hopes of great mercantile abilities. But this place he soon left, 
I know not for what reason, and was bound apprentice to Mr. 
Collins, a Printer of some reputation, and Deputy-alderman ; 
and in only two years attained so much skill in his art, and 
gained so much the confidence of his master, that he was 
sent, without any superintendant, to conduct a printing-house 
at Norwich, and publish a Weekly Newspaper. In this under- 
taking he met with some opposition, v»^hich produced a public 
controversy, and procured young Cave reputation as a Writer. 

" His Master died before his apprenticeship was expired ; and, 
as he was not able to bear the perverseness of his Mistress, he 
quitted her house upon a stipulated allowance, and married a 
young widow, with whom he lived at Bow. When his appren- 
ticeship was over, he worked as a journeyman at the printing- 
house of Mr. Barber, a man much distinguished and employed 
by the Tories, whose principles had at that time so much preva- 
lence with Cave, that he was for some years a writer in " Mist's 
Journal," which (though he afterwards obtained, by his wife's 
interest, a small place in the Post-office) he for some time con- 
tinued. But, as interest is powerful, and conversation, how- 
ever mean, in time persuasive, he by degrees inclined to another 
Party; in which, however, he was always moderate, though 
steady and determined. 



PREFACE. V 

" When he was admitted into the Post-office, he still continued, 
at his intervals of attendance, to exercise his trade, or to employ 
himself with some typographical business. He corrected the 
"Gradus ad Parnassum," and was liberall}^ rewarded by the 
Company of Stationers. He wrote an account of the Criminals, 
which had for some time a considerable sale; and published 
many little pamphlets that accident brought into his hands, of 
which it would be very difficult to recover the memory. By the 
Correspondence which his place in the Post-office Tacilitated, he 
procured country newspapers, and sold their intelligence to a 
journalist of London for a guinea a week. 

" He was afterwards raised to the office of Clerk of the Franks, 
in which he acted with great spirit and firmness ; and often 
stopped franks which were given by Members of Parliament to 
their friends, because he thought such extension of a peculiar 
right illegal. This raised many complaints; and having stopped, 
among others, a frank given to the old Duchess of Marlborough 
by Mr. Walter Plummer, he was cited before the House, as for 
breach of privilege, and accused, I suppose very unjustly, of 
opening letters to detect them. He was treated with great 
harshness and severity; but, declining their questions by plead- 
ing his oath of secrecy, was at last dismissed. And it must be 
recorded to his honour, that when he was ejected from his 
office, he did not think himself discharged from his trust, but 
continued to refuse to his nearest friends any information about 
the management of the office. ^^ 

" By this constancy of diligence and diversification of employ- 
ment, he in time collected a sum sufficient for the purchase of a 
small printing-office, and began The Gentleman's Magazine. 
To this undertaking he owed the affluence in which he passed 
the last twenty years of his life, and the fortune which he left 
behind him, which, though large, had been yet larger, had he 
not rashly and wantonly impaired it by innumerable projects, of 
which I know not that ever one succeeded. 

*'The Gentleman's Magazine, which has already subsisted 
three and twenty years, and still continues equally to enjoy the 
favour of the world*, is one of the most successful and lucrative 
pamphlets which literary history has upon record." 

Thus much almost literally from Dr. Johnson. I now pro- 
ceed to more particular details. 

The First Number of the Magazine, for January 1731, was 
"Printed for the Author ; and sold at St. John's Gate; by 

* This was written at the beginning of the year 1754; and it may still with 
justice be added, that The Gentleman's Magazine, after a period of ninety 
years, stands foremost for literary reputation, as the respectable Correspondence 
it still uniforndy continues to enjoy abundantly evinces. 



Vl PREFACE. 

F. JefFeries*, in Ludgate-street ; and all other Booksellers, and 
by the Persons who serve Gentlemen with the Newspapers." 
In a brief Introduction, Mr. Cave thus unfolded his plan : 
" It has been unexceptionably advanced, that a good Abridg- 
ment of the Law is more intelligible than the Statutes at large : 
so a nice model is as entertaining as the original, and a true spe- 
cimen as satisfactory as the whole parcel : this may serve to 
illustrate the reasonableness of our present undertaking, which 
in the first place is to give monthly a view of all the pieces of 
wit, humour, or intelligence, daily offered to the Public in the 
Newspapers, (which of late are so multiplied, as to render it 
impossible, unless a man makes it a business, to consult them 
all,) and in the next place we shall join therewith some other 
matters of use or amusement that will be communicated to us. 

" Upon calculating the number of Newspapers, 'tis found 
that (besides divers written Accounts) no less than 200 half- 
sheets per month are thrown from the Press only in London, 
and about as many printed elsewhere in the three Kingdoms ; a 
considerable part of which constantly exhibit Essays on various 
subjects for entertainment; and all the rest occasionally oblige 
their Readers with matters of public concern, communicated to 
the world by persons of capacity through their means : so that 
they are become the chief channels of amusement and intelli- 
gence. But then being only loose papers, uncertainly scattered 
about, it often happens that many things deserving attention, 
contained in them, are only seen by accident, and others not 
sufficiently published or preserved for universal benefit and 
information, This consideration has induced several Gentle- 
men to promote a monthly collection, to treasure up, as in a 
Magazine']-, the most remarkable pieces on the subjects above- 
mentioned, or at least impartial abridgments thereof, as a me- 

* This name was discontinued in 1735. 

f " The invention of this new species of publication may be considered as 
something of an epocha in the Literary History of this Country. The periodi- 
cal publications before that time were almost wholly confined to political trans- 
actions, and to foreign and domestic occurrences. But the Magazines have 
opened a way for every kind of enquiry and information. The intelHgence and 
discussion contained m them are very extensive and various ; and they have 
been the means of diffusing a general habit of reading through the Nation ; 
which, in a certain degree, hath enlarged the public understanding. Many 
young Authors, who have afterwards risen to considerable eminence in the 
literary world, have here made their first attempts in composition. Here, too, 
are preserved a multitude of curious and useful hints, observations, and facts, 
which otherwise might have never appeared ; or, if they had appeared in a more 
evanescent form, would have incurred the danger of being lost. If it were not 
an invidious task, the history of them would be no incurious or unentertaining 
subject. The Magazines that unite utility with entertainment are undoubtedly 
preferable to those (if there have been any such) which have only a view to idle 
and frivolous amusement." Dr. Kippis. 



PREFACE. VII 

thod much better calculated to preserve those things that are 
curious, than that of transcribing *." 

From the time of Mr. Cave's first connexion with the News- 
paper at Norwich, he had conceived a strong idea of the utility 
of pubhshing the ParUamentary Debates ; and, having been 
engaged in a situation at the Post-office, had an opportunity, 
not only of supplying his London Friends with the Provincial 
Papers, but he also contrived to furnish the Country Printers 
with those written Minutes of the Proceedings in the Two 
Houses of Parliament, which within my own remembrance 
were regularly circulated in the Coffee-houses, before the daily 
papers were tacitly perimtted to report the Debates. 

The Orders of the House were indeed regularly repeated, 
and occasionally enforced; and under these, in April 1728, 
Mr. Cave experienced some inconvenience and expence ; 
having been ordered into the custody of the Serjeant at Arms, 
for supplying his friend Mr. Robert Raikes with the Minutes of 
the House, for the use of the Gloucester Journal. After a con- 
finement of several days, on stating his sorrow for the offence, 
and pleading that he had a wife and family who suffered much 
by his imprisonment, he was discharged, with a reprimand, on 
paying the accustomed fees. In the following year Mr. Raikes 
again incurred the censure of the House by repeating his offence ; 
but Cave was at that time out of the scrape. 

The plan of inserting a regular series of Debates was long 
in Cave's contemplation before he adventured to put it into 
practice. At length he boldly dared ; and began, in January 1732, 
by giving only the King's Speech. In June he gave two Pro- 
tests of the Lords ; and, in the Commons, the Speaker's Thanks 
to Lord Viscount Gage, May 31, 1732, widi his Lordship's 
Reply. But in July, the Parliament being then prorogued, he 
ventured to introduce the " Proceedings and Debates of the last 

* So rapid was the sale of the First Volume, that it was frequently re-printed. 
I have now before me a copy of the Fifth Edition ; in which Mr. Cave says, 

" On the re-publicakon of- this Volume, Jtnnay be expected ^e should a^-d 
something to the foregoing Introduction. All we' have to say is, that as this 
undertaking has met with uncommon success, 'tis but just, and our indispen- 
sable duty, to pay our most grateful acknowledgments to the Publick from 
whom we have received such encouragement. We likewise own our obligation 
to divers ingenious Correspondents, who by furnishing us with several pieces of 
Poetry, and other useful hmts, have not a little contributed to the embellish- 
ment of the work ; and as it has been our endeavour from the beginning to 
improve our scheme, and store our Magazine with such a variety of matter as 
might be adapted to the taste and humour of all our Readers, so we shall assidu- 
ously apply ourselves to what we judge will yield them the best entertainment; 
and take it as a favour of such persons as will correct any mistakes of the Publick 
Papers we may possibly fall into ; or shall please to communicate any pieces of 
wit or entertainment proper to be inserted, directing to the Author at St. John's 
Gate" 



1^111 PREFACE. 

Session of Parliament," which were given with the initial and 
final letters of the names of the several Speakers. 

The singular and laborious manner in which Cave most usually 
obtained the Debates is thus related by Sir John Hawkins : 
" Taking with him a friend or two, he found means to pro- 
cure for them and himself admission into the gallery of the 
House of Commons, or to some concealed station in the other 
House ; and then they privately took down notes of the several 
Speeches, and the general tendency and substance of the argu- 
ments. Thus furnished, Cave and his associates would adjourn 
to a neighbouring tavern, and compare and adjust their notes ; 
by means whereof, and the help of their memories, they became 
enabled to fix at least the substance of what they had soJately 
heard and remarked. The reducing this crude matter into form 
was the work of a future day, and of an abler hand ; Guthrie, 
thCiHistorian, a Writer for the Booksellers, whom Cave retained 
for the purpose." 

From some of the following Letters to Dr. Birch, it appears 
that Mr. Cave had better assistance in that department than has 
been generally supposed ; and that he was indefatigable in 
getting the Debates made as perfect as was practicable. 

"July 21, 1735. I trouble you with the inclosed, because, 
you said you could easily correct what is here given for Lord 
Chesterfield's Speech*. I beg you will do so as soon as you 
can for me, because the month is far advanced." 

"July 15, 1737. As you remember f the Debates so far as to 
perceive the Speeches already printed are not exact, I beg the 
favour that you will peruse the inclosed : and, in the best man- 
ner your memory will serve, correct the mistaken passages, or 
add any thing that is omitted. I should be very glad to have 
something of the Duke of Newcastle's Speech J, which would 
be particularly of service. A Gentleman has Lord Bathurst's 
Speech §, to add something to." 

**Aug. 12, 1738. We still agree on Tuesday; and I think 
we shall see Claremont, as we did Cannons, and then come to 
dine at Richmond. Had I best send Mr. Thomson word, that 
we shall be at such an inn at Richmond by 7ioo}i, his hour of 
rising ? Your humble servant, Ed. Cave." 



* See this Speech in Gent. Mag. 1735, vol. V. p. 445. 

t By this it should seem that Dr. Birch was one of the friends who 
sometimes accompanied Cave when taking Minutes of the Parliamentary Pro- 
eeedings. / 

; Ibid, vol. VII. p. 37T. § Ibid. p. 379. 



PREFACE. IX* 

•^^Sept. 9, 1741. I have put Mr. Johnson's Play* into Mr. 
Gray's t hands, in order to sell it to him, if he is inclined to buy 
it ; but I doubt whether he will or not. He would dispose of 
the copy, and whatever advantage may be made by acting it. 
Would your Society J, or any gentlemen or body of men that 
you know, take such a bargain ? Both he and 1 are very unfit 
to deal with theatrical persons. Fleetwood was to have acted 
it last season ; but Johnson's diffidence or ... . prevented it. 
I am, Reverend Sir, your most humble servant, Ed. Cave." 

"July 3, 1744. You will see what stupid, low, abominable 
stuff is put§ upon your noble and learned Friend's || character; 
such as I should quite reject, and endeavour to do something 
better towards doing justice to the character. But, as I cannot 
expect to attain my desires in that respect, it would be a great 
satisfaction, as well as an honour to our Work, to have the favour 
of the genuine Speech. It is a method that several have been 
pleased to take, as I could shew — but I think myself under a 
restraint. I shall say so far, that I have had some by a third 
hand, which I understood well enough to come from the first; 
others by penny- post; and others by the Speakers themselves, 
who have been pleased to visit St. John's Gate, and shew parti- 
cular marks of their being pleased." 

"Dec. 1747. The Ode to Wisdom, in the second volume 
of Clarissa, was written by Miss Carter : it had been handed 
about in MS. I had not permission to print it, though I asked 
for it personally at Deal ; and, though I before then had it in 
manuscript, it was under a promise not to publish it without 
leave. Ed. Cave." 

" Saturday, Oct. 27, [1750]. I beg that you will send me the 
pages where Mrs. C's Letters are in the Magazine. Mr. Johnson 
remembers both the letters ; and he says they were the best, 
and put the affair in a new light to him at that time, and the 

* By this letter it appears that Johnson's Tragedy of "Irene'' had been for 
some time ready for the press j and that his necessities made him desirous of 
getting; as much as he could for it, without delay. See p. xiv. 

f Mr. John Gray, a Bookseller of eminence in London. 

X Not the Royal Society ; but the Society for the Encouragement of Learn- 
ing, of which Dr. Birch was a leading member. Their object was, to assist 
authors in printing expensive works. Having incurred a considerable debt, it 
was in a short time dissolved. 

§ In some ephemeral production, now forgotten. 

II Doubtless, Lord Hardwicke. — Mr. Cave was sometimes favoured with 
communications by the Hon. Charles Yorke, and his learned and confidential 
Friend Daniel Wray, Esq. — By the following short note from Mr. Wray to Dr. 
Birch, it may be fair to presume that the liurgo Hickrad's Speech (vol. XIV. 
p. 522), in particular was furnished from the fountain-head : 

" Sept. 28, 1744. Mr. Yorke equipped me with so huge a packet, that 1 could 
not keep it smooth in my pocket. Here you have it, inside and contends 
unknown to your humble servant. — As you arc so near Mr. Cave, you may 
daily procure, and send me by the bearer, that part of your Neighbour's Literary 
Correspondence, which has Dr. Perry's Extract.'' 
VOL III. ' b 



X PREFACE. 

reasoning excellent. Did Browne Willis, Esq. produce the 
scheme to the Society of Antiquaries, as said in the Remem- 
brancer; or is it a joke? I have procured 2^ Latin Comus for 
Lauder, of which I suppose he makes great account." 

In 1733 the Magazine had become so warmly patronized, 
and the Correspondence of respectable Writers so enlarged, 
that a Supplementary Number became necessary. 

Some complimentary verses were prefixed to the Volume of 
that 3^ear ; with the following apologetical remark : 

** We are too sensible of our imperfections to assume to our- 
selves what is so largely advanced in the above pieces to our 
praise : but, as we could not leave out those poetical heighten- 
ings, which otherwise we ought not in modest}^ to have let pass, 
without spoiling the lines ; so we can most truly affirm, that our 
endeavours have been received in such a favourable manner, as 
to produce a great many Letters of acknowledgment, in which 
our good-natured Correspondents have expressed themselves in 
a manner little short of the real meaning of these Poems; and 
we may add, that they have also informed us of certain practices 
made use of to our prejudice, which they condemn with the 
utmost indignation." 

In 1734 the illustrious Johnson thus tendered his assistance ; 

"Sir, Nov. 25, 1734. 

" As you appear no less sensible than your Readers of the 
defects of your Poetical Article *, you will not be displeased, if, 
in order to the improvement of it, I communicate to you the 
sentiments of a person who will undertake, on reasonable terms, 
sometimes to fill a column. 

" His opinion is, that the publick will not give you a bad 
reception, if, besides the current wit of the Month, which a 
critical examination would generally reduce to a narrow com- 
pass, you admitted not only Poems, Inscriptions, &c. never 
printed before, which he will sometimes supply you with ; but 
likewise short Literary Dissertations in Latin or English, critical 
remarks on authors antient or modern, forgotten Poems that 
deserve revival — or loose pieces, like Floyer'sf, worth preserving. 
By this method your Literary Article, for so it might be called, 
will, he thinks, be better recommended to the publick, than 
by low jests, aukward buffoonery, or the dull scurrilities of 
either party. If such a correspondence will be agreeable to 

* Alluding to the offer noticed in p. xi. 

t Sir John Floyer's Treatise on Cold Baths, which was printed in Gent. Mas. 
1734, p. 197, "was probably sent by Johnson ; who, a very short time before his 
death, strongly pressed the Writer of this Preface to give to the Publick some 
account of the life and works of Sir John Floyer, *' whose learning and piety," 
the Doctor said, *' deserve recording.'' An original portrait of Floyer is pre- 
served at Lichfield. 



PREFACE. XI 

you, be pleased to inform me, in two posts, what the conditions 
are on which you shall expect it. Your late offer gives me no 
reason to distrust your generosity. 

" If you engage in any literary projects besides this paper, I 
have other designs to impart, if I could be secure from having 
others reap the advantage of what I should hint. 

"Your Letter, by being directed to S. Smithy to be left at 
the Castle in Birmingham*, Warwickshire, will reach 

'' Your humble servant." 

In July 1735 was published a "Magazine Extraordinary." It 
contains *' several Poems upon Life, Death, Judgment, Heaven, 
and Hell, sent to the Publisher in consequence of a Proposal 
made in July 1734, for giving 50/. as a Prize for the Poets, to 
encourage them to write on these important subjects f ; which 
Proposal was afterwards amended in the Magazine for August 
and October 1734, and finally adjusted in the Magazine for 
January and May 1735 J." 

In December 1735, it was announced, that " a Decision by 
public votes was not approved by the majority of Candidates ; 
they thought a certain number of Judges, not less than three, a 
more eligible method of determination. We have applied ac- 
cordingly to three proper persons, and begged the favour of them 
to send their opinions separately to the Rev. Mr. Birch, F. R. S. 
and Dr. Mortimer, Secretary to the Royal Society ; which two 
gentlemen will be so good to make the declaration to what Poems 
the respective Prizes shall4)e adjudged."— In the February fol- 
lowing, the Decision of the Prizes accordingly appears, signed 
by Tho. Birch ; accompanied by an anonymous Letter, con- 
taining "the Reasons which might probably have determined the 
Gentlemen in favour of the Poems they preferred." 

In the Supplement for 1735, the Prizes hereafter mentioned 
were offered : " For the four best Poems, intituled, The Christian 
Hero ; viz. l. To the Person who shall make the best will be given 
a Gold Medal (intrinsic value about Ten Pounds) which shall 
have the Head of the Rt. Hon. the Lady Elizabeth Hastings § 

* Mr. Cave has put a note on this Letter, "Answered Dec. 2." But whether 
any thing was done in consequence of it we are not informed. Mr. Bosweil 
adds, ** I am pretty sure Dr. Johnson told me, that Mr, Cave was the first pub- 
lisher by whom his pen was engaged in London." 

f In .January 1735, the 50/. Prize was repeated, with the addition of " 51. given 
by a Gentlewoman, for the second in merit ; 5 years Magazines of the lar^e pa- 
per, for the third ; 5 years Magazines of the common paper, for the fourth. ' 

X In the Title also appears the following Note : " These Poems are thus 
printed together in one Book Extraordinary , at the desire of several of our learned 
and curious Readers, and not in the least for the sake of lucre, since the profit of 
the Impression will, as promised, be applied towards raising another Prize for the 
Poets." — A second Prize of 40/. was accordingly afterwards made for the best 
Poem " On the Divine Attributes," See p. xiii. 

§ The above Advertisement, instead of gratifying, gave offence to Lady 
Elizabeth Hastings, as appears by the following article In February 1736: 

" The Donor of the Gold Medal, proposed in our last Supplement, thinks it 



XU PREFACE. 

on one side, and that of James Oglethorpe, Esq. on the other, 
with this motto, — England may challenge the World, 1736. 
— 2. To the Author of the Second, a complete Set of Archbishop 
Tillotson's Sermons — 3. To the Author of the Third, a complete 
Set of Archbishop Sharpe's Sermons. — 4. To the Author of the 
Fourth, a Set of Cooke's Sermons. -In the beginning of October 
three eminent Poets shall be solicited to determine the merit of 
the Pieces*." 

The following Prizes were also offered for the best Epigrams : 
1. A Set of Magazines bound ; 2. A Set stitched ; 3. Cooke's Ser- 
mons, bound ; 4. Ditto, stitched ; 5. Two Histories of the Order 
of the Garter; 6. A dozen Lesser Duties of Man, printed for 
Colony of Georgia; 7. Half a dozen to each Author who has 
three Epigrams inserted f." 

At the conclusion of the Volume for 1735, Mr. Cave an- 
nounced his Proposals for publishing Du Halde's Description of 
China J, in Numbers, once a Fortnight; the price of the whole 
not to exceed Three Guineas; and with the following cha- 
racteristic Condition : ** Whatever number of these Books 
there shall be a demand for over the said thousand, during the 
progress of the work, the profits thereof shall, at its being finished, 
be fairly divided (excepting the few on royal paper) among the 
thousand first subscribers, only deducting 50/. to be given to such 
his Majesty's British Subject as shall, in the opinion of the Royal 
Society, make (from^the hints given in this Description of China) 

his duty to make this pubHc declaration of his concern, that he has been so un- 
happy as to give offence by what he intended as an instance of respect and defe- 
rence, and h'umbly asks her Ladyship's pardon for the uneasiness which he has so 
unfortunately (but ver)? undesignedly) occasioned. He is, however, desirous that 
the Poets should exercise their pens on that sublime subject; and since the lady 
will not permit him to do her the justice, to rank her among the first of that 
noble and (he fears) small part of mankind, who deserve that illustrious character 
(lest he should give afresh offence by the mention of another living hero) he de- 
signs that that side of the medal shall be impressed with the Head of that once 
great ornament of the Church of England, Archbishop Tillotson. If any should 
charge the Medal with indelicacy, on account of the difference of quality between 
the two persons now (and before) intended to be impressed on it ; his answer is, 
that they, in his opinion, entertain very low notions of Christian Heroism, who 
make its excellency consist, or in any wise depend, on the accidental circum- 
j»tances of birth and talents. He hopes that Mr. Oglethorp will be prevailed upon 
to consent that the Medal shall bear his effigies, and that both the lady and he 
will be the more readily induced to pardon the liberty he has taken, when they 
are assured that it was done with a good intention, by one w^hohasnot the honour 
to be personally known to either of them, and who is excited to it by the emi- 
nence of their characters." 

* Twenty-four Poems were sent in consequence of this Proposal ; two of which 
are inserted in June; three in July; two in August; and two others in Septem- 
ber, 1736. 

f Several Epigrams sent ibr the Prizes are printed in the Volume for 173^. 

X This was again announced in September, 173(), rmder the fuller title of *' A 
Description of China and Chinese Tartary, with Korea and Tibet ; containing 
the Geography, and History, as well Natural as Civil, of those Countries. Lately 
published at Paris by Pcre Du Halde, Jesuit." 



PREEACE. XIU 

the best and most useful improvement in any beneficial branch of 
An, and exbibit the same to the said Society within three months 
after this work is finished." 

In June 17 36, and again in July, we read as follows : 
" At Edial, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, young gentlemen 
are boarded and taught the Latin and Greek Languages by 
Samuel Johnson." 

What other communications may have been made by Johnson 
to the Magazine in this year is uncertain ; but I believe the fol- 
lowing Epigram to be his : 
** In locupletissimum ornatissimumque Syl. Urb. Thesaurum. 

Menstrua concinnat Sylvanus, & Annua Dona, 
Quantus ubique Lepos ! quantus ubique Decor 1 

Apte antiqua novis miscentur, & utile dulci: 
Pallas ubique docet ; ridet ubique Venus. 

* *TaUs in seterno feiix Vertumnus Olympo, 
* Mille habet Ornatus, mille decenter habet.' 

RUSTICUS." 
In an Advertisement in March 1736, Twenty Pounds, Twelve 
Pounds, and Eight Pounds, were severally offered for the three 
best Poems on the Divine Attributes f. — In July (p. 408) two 
other chances were offered, a set of Magazines, large paper, for 
six years, for the fourth prize, and a set of smaller for the fifth. 

The first regular Address to the Reader is prefixed to the volume 
for 1737, and contains a plain and manly Answer to Cavillers in the 
public Newspapers. — In the close of the volume, Mr. Cave says, 
" The candid Reader, who knows the difficulty, and sometimes 
danger,of publishing Speeches in Parliament, will easily conceive 
that it is impossible to do it in the very words of the Speakers. 
With regard to the major part, we pretend only to represent the 
sense, as near as may be expected in a summary way ; and there- 
fore, as to any little expression being mistaken, which does not 
affect the scope of the argument in general, we hope, ias not 
being done with design, it will be favourably overlooked." 

On this subject Cave again thus speaks in February 1738 : 
** Such as see into the artifices and interested views of Writers, 

• Tibullus, lib. IV. 

t The first Poem on this subject is in the numbers for April and May 173? ; 
the second in June the same year. — In April 1738, is the following notice : — 
** We expect every post that the Gold Medal, proposed as a Prize for the 
Poems on the Christian Hero, will be adjusted. And as there is some prospect, 
that the Gentlemen who are to jud^e and allot the forty pounds proposed as 
Prizes for the Poems sent in on the Divine Attributes will now have leisure to 
consider them ; we hope it will not be long before those Prizes will be settled, 
though there are many Poems to peruse, and one of them equivalent with the 
notes to 3000 lines." — A third Poem appeared in May 173S; and a fourth in June. 

The Poems on the Divine Attributes being reduced to five, the decision of the 
Prizes was finally left to the Authors, by voting among themselves, excepting 
their own Poems. See the Number for April 1739, P- 1^^- 



XIV PREFACE. 

need not to be told that there has been a very strong combina- 
tion of Booksellers and their dependants, the Authors and Printers 
of several Newspapers, in order, by ridiculous puffs, paragraphs 
of buffoonery, and fallacious advertisements, to set the Publick 
against this Magazine, which is entirely independant of them : 
but, as a great number of our Country Readers are unacquainted 
with such arts, we hope to be excused inserting the following 
remarks in our justification." 

For these remarks, which are entirely of a temporary nature, 
and chiefly relate to personal quarrels, it may be sufficient to 
refer to the Volume in which they appeared; but a passage of 
Johnson's shall here be noticed. 

'' In a few years," says that able Writer, " a multitude of Maga- 
zines arose, and perished. Only ' The London Magazine,' sup- 
ported by a powerful association of Booksellers, and circulated 
with all the arc and all the cunning of Trade, exempted itself 
from the general fate of Cave's invaders, and obtained, though 
not an equal, yet a considerable sale*." 

The tenor of this narrative requires that the name of Dr. 
Johnson should be prominently brought forward, in his early 
correspondence with Cave ; which led to an uninterrupted 
friendship, and led ultimately to Johnson's permanent celebrity. 

One Letter has been already given in p. x. It was anony- 
mous, and no immediate intercourse appears to have arisen from 
it : but the following Letters were duly appreciated by Cave. 

Greenwich f, next door to the Golden Hart, 
" Sir, Church-street, July 12, I737. 

" Having observed in your papers J very uncommon offers 
of encouragement to Men of Letters, I have chosen, being a 
stranger in London, to communicate to you the following design, 
which, I hope, if you join in it, will be of advantage to both 
of us. The History of the Council of Trent having been lately 
translated into French, and published with large notes by Dr. 
Le Courayer, the reputation of that book is so much revived 
in England, that it is presumed a new Translation of it from the 

* This was actually the case in 1754; but even this Rival departed in 1785. 

t At this time Johnson had written Three Acts of *' Irene;" (see p. ix) and 
(as he told Mr. Boswell) retired for some time to a lodging at Greenwich, 
where he proceeded in it somewhat farther. He used to compose walking in 
the Park ; but did not stay long enough in that place to finish it. 

X " It should seem from this Letter,'' says Mr. Boswell, " though subscribed 
with his own name, that he had not yet been introduced to Mr. Cave." Sir John 
Hawkins observes, that Cave's '* temper was phlegmatic : though he assumed, as 
the Publisher of the Magazine, the name of Sylvanus Urlan, he had few of 
those qualities that constitute the character of urbanity. His discernment was 
also slow j and as he had already at his command some Writers in Prose and 
Verse who, in the language of Booksellers, are called good hands, he was the 
backwarder in making advances, or cotirting an intimacy with Johnson." 



PREFACE. XV 

Italian, together with Le Courayer's Notes from the French, 
could not fail of a favourable reception. 

<* If it be answered that the History is already in English, it 
must be remembered that there was the same objection against 
Le Courayer's undertaking, with this disadvantage, that the 
French had a Version by one of their best Translators ; whereas 
you cannot read three pages of the English History* without 
discovering that the style is capable of great improvements ; 
but whether those improvements are to be expected from the 
attempt, you must judge from the specimen, which, if you 
approve the proposal, I shall submit to your examination. 

" Suppose the merit of the Versions equal, we may hope that 
the addition of the Notes will turn the balance in our favour, 
considering the reputation of the Annotator. 

"Be pleased to favour me with a speedy answer, if you are 
not willing to engage in this scheme f; and appoint me a day to 
wait upon you if you are. I am. Sir, 

' "Your humble servant, Sam. Johnson." 

'* Sir, Castle-street, Wednesday morning [1738]. 

" When I took the liberty of writing to you a few days ago, 
I did not expect a repetition of the same pleasure so soon ; for 
a pleasure 1 shall always think it, to converse in anj^ manner 
with an ingenious and candid man ; but, having the inclosed 
Poem in my hands to dispose of for the benefit of the Author 
(of whose abilities I shall say nothing, since I send you his 
performance) I believed I could not procure more advantageous 
terms from any person than from you, who have so much dis- 

* An old Translation, by Sir Nathanael Brent, 1616. 

f The recommendation was readily adopted by Mr. Cave ; and Proposals were 
speedily issued (see p. xix) for publishing the Work by Subscription ; but another 
Translation being at the same time announced under the patronage of Dr. (after 
Bp.) Pearce, the Work was suspended, and the designs of both proved abortive, — , 
Tne account of Johnson's Translation is accurately stated in Gent. Mag. vol. 
LIV. p. 891. There were only six sheets printed off; and of these the greater 
part of the impression was converted into waste paper. A few copies were in- 
tended to have been reserved ; but they were so carefully put by, as to be lost in 
the mass of Mr. Cave's papers deposited in St. John's Gate. Several years after- 
wards Bp. Warburton said, " I heartily wish we had a new edition of Father 
Paul. Such a thing, I remember, was proposed some years ago; but, I know 
not by what chance, it miscarried. I could wish that Mr. Johnson would give 
us the original on one side, and his translation on the other. But this will 
not hit the public taste." 

Sir John Hawkins, speaking of Johnson's Translation, says, '^ Cave's acqui- 
escence in the above Proposal drew Johnson into a close intimacy with him. 
He was much at St. John's Gate ; and taught Garrick the way thither. — Cave 
had no great relish for mirth, but he could bear it 3 and having been told by 
Johnson, that his Friend had talents for the Theatre, and was come to London 
with a view to the profession of an Actor, expressed a wish to see him in some 
comic character. Garrick readily complied , and, as Cave himself told me, with 
a little preparation of the room over the great arch of St. John's Gate, and with 
the assistance of a few journeymen printers, who were called together for the 
ourpose of reading the other parts, represented with all the graces of comic 
humour, the principal character in Fielding's farce of The Mock Doctor. 



XVI PREFACE. 

tinguished yourself by your generous encouragement of Poetry; 
and whose judgment of that art nothing but your commenda- 
tion oi my trifle* can give me any occasion to call in question. 

" I do not doubt but you will look over this Poem with another 
eye, and reward it in a different manner, from a mercenary 
Bookseller, who counts the lines he is to purchase f, and con- 
siders nothing but the bulk. I cannot help taking notice, that, 
besides what the Author may hope for on account of his abili- 
ties, he has likewise another claim to 3'our regard, as he lies 
at present under very disadvantageous circumstances of fortune. 
I beg, therefore, that you will favour me with a letter to-mor- 
row, that I may know what you can afford to allow him, that 
he may either part with it to you, or find out (which I do not 
expect) some other way more to his satisfaction f . 

'* I have only to add, that as I am sensible I have transcribed 
it very coarsely, which, after having altered it, I was obliged to 
do, I will, if you please to transmit the sheets from the press, 
correct it for you ; and take the trouble of altering any stroke 
of satire which you may dislike. By exerting on this occasion 
your usual generosity, you will not only encourage learning, 
and relieve distress, but (though it be in comparison of the 
other motives of very small account) oblige in a very sensible 
manner, Sir, your very humble servant, Sam. Johnson." 



6i 

66 



Sir, Monday, No. 6, Castle-street, April .., 1738.] 

"1 am to return you thanks for the present you were so 
kind as to send me ; and to intreat that you will be pleased to 
inform me by the penny-post, whether you resolve to print the 
Poem. If you please to send it me by the post, with a note to 
Dodsley, I will go and read the lines to him, that we may have 
his consent to put his name in the title-page. As to the print- 
ing, if it can be set immediately about, I will be so much the 
Author's friend, as not to content myself with mere solicitations 

* His Ode Ad Urhanum, printed in vol. VIII. p. 156. A Translation of this 
Ode, by an unknown Correspondent, appeared in the Magazine for the May 
following. — ^The Latin Ode is repeated in vol. LIV. Parti; and a very ele- 
gant Translation of it by the late William Jackson, esq. of Canterbury in Part II. 

f The Poem mentioned in this and the three following Letters must 
doubtless have been our Author's own "London," which was published in May 
1738, and is recorded in Gent. Mag. vol. VIII. p. 269, "as being remarkable 
for having got to the Second Edition in the space of a week." On a copy of the 
First Edition of this Poem Johnson has inserted, "Written in 1738 ;" and, as it 
was published in May that year, it is evident that much time was not engaged in 
preparing it for the press. 

X Speaking to me in conversation of his own employment on his first arrival 
in town, Dr. Johnson observed, that he applied, among others, to Mr. Wilcox, 
then a Bookseller of some eminence in the Strand ; who, after surveying John- 
son's robust frame, with a significant look said, "Young man, you had better 
buy a Porter's knot!" — The great Moralist, far from being offended at the advice 

which had been given him, added, " Wilcox was one of my best Friends.'' He 

added, that Cave was a generous paymaster ; but, in bargaining for Poetry, he 
contracted for lines by the hundred, and expected the /owg hundred^ 



PREFACE. XVll 

in his favour. I propose, if my calculation be near the truth, 
to engage for the reimbursement of all that you shall lose by an 
impression of 500; provided, as you very generously propose, 
that the profit, if any, be set aside for the Author's use, 
excepting the present you made, which, if he be a gainer, it 
is fit he should repay. 1 beg that you will let one of your 
servants write an exact account of the expence of such an 
impression, and send it with the Poem, that I may know what 
I engage for. 

"I am very sensible, from your generosity on this occasion, of 
your regard to Learning, even in its unhappiest state ; and 
cannot but think such a temper deserving of the gratitude of 
those who suffer so often from a contrary disposition. 

" I am, Sir, your humble servant, Sam. Johnson." 

"Sir, [April, 1738.] 

''I waited on you to take the copy to Dodsley*: as I 
remember the number of lines which it contains, it will be no 
longer than " Eugenio f," with the quotations, which must be 
subjoined at the bottom of the page ; part of the beauty of the 
performance (if any beauty be allowed it) consisting in adapting 
Juvenal's sentiments to modern facts and persons. It will, 
with those additions, very conveniently make five sheets; and 
since the expence will be no more, I shall contentedly insure 
it, as 1 mentioned in my last. If it be not therefore gone to 
Dodsley's, I beg it may be sent me by the penny-post, that I 
may have it in the evening. I have composed a Greek Epigram 

* Sir John Hawkins says, that ** Johnson and Dodsley were soon agreed ; the 
price asked by one, and assented to by the other was, as I have been informed. 
Fifty Pounds : a reward for his labour and ingenuity, that induced Johnson 
ever after to call Dodsley his Patron ;'' and adds, ** It came abroad in the year 
above-mentioned, with the name of Cave as the Printer, though without that of 
the Author." 

f *' Eugenio, a Virtuous and Happy Life, inscribed to Mr. Pope,'' published 
by Dodsley in April 1737- The author of this poem, a work by no means des- 
titute of public spirit, and which had had the advantage of bein^corrected by 
Dean Swift, was Mr. Beach, a wine-merchant at Wrexham, in Denbighshire, 
a man of learning, of great humanity, of an easy fortune, and much respected. 
He is said by some to have entertained very blamable notions in religion ; but 
this appears rather to be a conjecture than a well-established fact. It is certain 
that he was at times grievously afflicted with a terrible disorder In his head, to 
which his friends ascribed his melancholy exit. On May 17, 1737j in less than 
a month after the publication of his poem, he cut his throat with such shocking 
resolution, that it was reported his head was almost severed from his body. This 
dreadful catastrophe is thus mentioned by Dr. Herring (then Bp. of Bangor) in 
one of his letters to Mr. Duncombe, p. 54: *' The verses you sent me are very 
sensible and touching; and the sentiments in them, I doubt not, exhilarated the 
blood for some time, and suspended the black execution ; but his distemper, it 
may be said, got the better, and carried him off at last. I would willingly put 
the best construction upon these melancholy accidents, and thus leave the suf- 
ferers to the Father of Mercies." And an *' Epilogue to Cato, for the Scholars 
at Wrexham, 1735,'' shews how much better Mr. Beach could think than act, 

VOL. III. C 



XVlll PREFACE. 

to Eliza*, and think she ought to be celebrated in as many 
different languages as Lewis le Grand. Pray send me word 
when you will begin upon the Poem, for it is a long way to 
walkf. I would leave my Epigram, but have not day-light to 
transcribe it. I am. Sir, yours, &c. Sam. Johnson." 

" Sir, [April, 1738.J 

" I am extremely obliged by your kind Letter ; and will not 
fail to attend you to-morrow with Irene X, who looks upon you as 
one of her best friends. I was to-day with Mr. Dodsley, who 
declares very warmly in favour of the Paper § you sent him, which 
he desires to have a share in, it being, as he says, a creditable 
thing to be concerned in. I knew not what answer to make till 
I had consulted you, nor what to demand on the Author's part; 
but am very willing that, if you please, he should have a part 
in it, as he will undoubtedly be more diligent to disperse and 
promote it. If you can send me word to-morrow what I shall 
pay to him, I will settle matters, and bring the Poem with me 
for the press, which, as the town empties, we cannot be too 
quick with. I am. Sir, yours, &c. Sam. Johnson. 

** Sir, Wednesday, September, [1738]. 

" I did not care to detain your servant while I wrote an 
answer to your letter, in which you seem to insinuate that I had 
promised more than 1 am ready to perform. If I have raised 
your expectations by any thing that may have escaped my 
memory, I am sorry; and if you remind me of it, shall thank 
you for the favour. If I ma.de/ewer alterations than usual in 
the Debates ||, it was only because there appeared, and still 
appears to be, less need of alteration. 

"The verses to Lady Firebrace^ may be had when you 
please, for you know that such a subject neither deserves much 
thought, nor requires it. The Chinese Stories** maybe had 
folded down when you please to send, in which I do not recollect 
that you desired any alterations to be made. 

"In answer to another query, I am very willing to write ; and 
had consulted with you about it last night if there had been 

• The Epigram in Greek and Latin, addressed to Miss Elizabeth Carter, 
printed in the Magazine, vol. VIII. p. 210. Of this Lady see hereafter, p. xx. 

f He lived at that time in Castle-street, Cavendish-square. 

\ This Tragedy, though Three Acts of it were written in 1737 (see pages 
ix. and xiv.) was neither acted nor published till 1749- 

§ This alludes to the " History of the Council of Trent j" to the Proposals for 
which, Mr. Dodsley 's name was accordingly added. See p. xix. 

II At this time Johnson was the Reviser, not the Writer, of the Debates in 
the Senate of Liliput. 

f They appeared in the Magazine, vol. VIII. p. 486.— The Life of Father 
Paul was given in the same volume, p. 581. 

** Du Halde's Description of China was then publishing by Mr. Cave in 
numbers, whence Johnson selected pieces for the tmbellishment of the Magazine. 



PREFACE. XIX 

time ; for I think it the most proper way of inviting such a Cor- 
respondence as may be an advantage to the paper, not a load 
upon it. / 

"As to the Prize Verses*, a backwardness to determine their 
degrees of merit is not peculiar to me. You maj^, if you please, 
still have what I can say ; but I shall engage with little spirit in 
dn affair which I shall hardly end to my own satisfaction, and 
certainly not to the satisfaction of the parties concerned. 

" As to Father Paul, I have not yet been just to my Pro- 
posal!; but have met with impediments, which, I hope, are now 
at an end ; and if you find the progress hereafter not such as you 
have a right to expect, you can easily stimulate a negligent 
translator. If an^y or all of these have contributed to your 
discontent, I will endeavour to remove it; and desire you to 
propose the question to which you wish for an answer. 

I am, Sir, your humble servant, Sam. Johnson." 

" Sir, [October 1738]. 

" I am pretty much of your opinion, that the Commentary \ 
cannot be prosecuted with any appearance of success, for as the 
names of the authors concerned are of more weight in the per- 
formance than its own intrinsic merit, the publick will be soon 
satisfied with it. And I think the Examen should be pushed 
forward with the utmost expedition. Thus, ' This day, &c. An 
Examen of Mr. Pope's Essay, &c. containing a succinct Account 
of the Philosophy of Mr. Leibnitz on the System of the Fatalists, 
with a Confutation of their Opinions, and an Illustration of the 

* The Prizes are enumerated in p. xiii. 

f The following Advertisement, from "The Weekly Miscellany, Oct. 21, 
1738," may now be considered as a curiosity: "Just published. Proposals for 
printing the History of the Council of Trent, translated from the Italian of 
Father Paul Sarpi ; with the Author's Life, and Notes Theological, Historical, 
and Critical, from the French Edition of Dr. Le Courayer. To which are added. 
Observations on the History and Notes ; and Illustrations from various Authors; 
both printed and manuscript. By S. Johnson. 1. The work will consist of 
two hundred sheets, and be two volumes in quarto, printed on good paper and 
letter. 2. The price will be 185. each volume, to be paid half a guinea at the 
time of subscribing, and half a guinea at the delivery of the first volume, and the 
rest at the delivery of the second volume, in sheets. 3. Two-pence to be abated 
for every sheet less than two hundred. It may be had on a large paper, in three 
volumes, at the price of three guineas, one to be paid at the time of subscribing, 
another at the delivery of the first, and the rest at the delivery of the other 
volumes. The work is now in the press, and will be diligently prosecuted. 
Subscrintions are taken in by Mr. Dodsley in Pall Mall, Mr. Rivington in St, 
St. Paul's Church-yard, by E. Cave at St. John's Gate, and the Translator, at 
No. 6, in Castle-street, by Cavendish-square.'' 

X The work here alluded to was kept back till November 1741, when it 
appeared under the title of "A Commentary on Mr. Pope's Principles of Mo- 
rality, and Essay on Man. By Mons, Crousaz. With the Abb^ du Resnel's 
Translation of the Essay into French Verse, and the English interlined \ also 
Observations on the French, Italian, and English Poetry." 



XX PREFACE. 

Doctrine of Free-will*,' with what else you think proper. It 
will, above all, be necessary to take notice, that it is a thing 
distinct from the Commentary. 

"I was so far from imagining they stood stillf, that I con- 
ceived them to have a good deal before-hand, and therefore was 
less anxious in providing them more. But if ever they stand 
still on my account, it must doubtless be charged to me ; and 
whatever else shall be reasonable, I shall not oppose ; but beg 
a suspense of judgment till morning, when I must entreat you 
to send me a dozen Proposals, and you shall then have copy to 
spare. Pray muster up the Proposals if you can, or let the 
boy recall them from the Booksellers J. I am. Sir, 

Yours, impransuSf Sam. Johnson." 

"It is remarkable," says Boswell, <^that this Letter concludes 
with a fair confession that he had notadinner§; and it is no 
less remarkable that, though in this state of want himself, his 
benevolent heart was not insensible to the necessities of an 
humble labourer in literature, as appears from the next Letter. 

''Dear Sir, [No date.] 

" You may remember I have formerly talked with you 
about a Military Dictionary. The eldest Mr. Macbean ||, who 
was with Mr. Chambers^, has very good materials for such a 
work, which I have seen, and will do it at a very low rate. I 
think the terms of War and Navigation might be comprised with 
good explanations in one octavo pica, which he is willing to do for 

* This Treatise (the production, as it now appears, of the learned Miss Car- 
ter), was published, price 2s. in November 1738, under the title of "An Exa- 
mination of Mr. Pope's Essay on Man ; containing a succinct View of the Sys- 
tem of the Fatalists, and a Confutation of their Opinions; with an Illustra- 
tion of the Doctrine of Free-Will, and an Enquiry what View Mr. Pope might 
have in touching upon the Leibnitzian Philosophy and Fatalism. By Mr. Crou- 
saz. Professor of Philosophy and Mathematicks at Lausanne, &c. Printed for 
A. Dodd, without Temple Bar, and sold by all the Booksellers. See Gent. 
Mag. vol. yill. pp. 608, 664. 

f This is a typographical phrase ; and alludes to the Compositors in Cave's 
Printing-office, who were then ** standing still" for want of copy. 

X COOO Copies of these Proposals had been dispersed. 

§ Might not, however, impransus simply mean before dinner, or 1 have not 
dined? The Letter, perhaps, was written in a hurry, late in the day. 

II Mr. Macbean afterw^ards pubUshed a Dictionary of the Bible; and was 
emplo^fsd by the Booksellers in compiling the Poetical Index to Dr. Johnson's 
Edition of the English Poets. He made also a similar Index to Mr. Nichols's 
'* Select Collection." See in Gent. Mag. vol. LVI. p. 413, a letter from Mr. 
Ephraim Chambers to Mr. Macbean, directing him to send to Canonhury-house 
the apparatus he used in correcting the new edition of his "Cyclopredia." In 
1780, this useful compiler being oppressed by age and poverty. Dr. Johnson 
(who had for many years afforded him an asylum) endeavoured to obtain for 
him an admission into the Charter-house. A very kind letter of Lord Thurlow 
on this occasion is preserved by Mr, Boswell, Life of Johnson, vol. III. p. 423. 
Of Mr. Macbean's future history, I have not been able to obtain any particulars. 

^ Mr. Ephraim Chambers, Author of the "Cyclopaedia." 



PREFACE. XXI 

twelve shillings a sheet, to be made up a guinea at the second 
impression. If you think on it, I will wait on you with him. I 
am, Sir, Your humble servant, Sam. Johnson. 

" Pray lend me Topsel on Animals." 

At this period Cave had the honour, as well as the advantage, 
of enrolling the name of Johnson as a regular Coadjutor in the 
Magazine, which for some years was one of his principal sources 
for employment and support. 

" The Gentleman's Magazine," says Boswell, " had attracted 
the notice and esteem of Johnson, in an eminent degree, before 
he came to London as an adventurer in Literature. He told 
me that, when he first saw St. John's Gate, the place where that 
deservedly popular Miscellany was originally printed, he beheld 
it with reverence. Johnson has dignified the Magazine by the 
importance with which he invests the life of Cave ; but he has 
given it still greater lustre by the various admirable Essays 
which he wrote for it." 

His earliest known communication was a copy of Latin verses, 
in March 1738, addressed to the Editor* in so happy a style 
of compliment, that Cave must have been destitute both of taste 
and sensibility, had he not felt himself most abundantly gratified. 
In the Magazine also for April are the following lines : 

" Ad RiCARDUM Savage, Arm. Humani Generis Amatorem. 
" Humani studium generis cui pectore fervet, 
O ! colat humanum te foveatque genus !" 

Numerous are the articles in this Magazine which might now be 
traced to Johnson's pen. Some of them he has noticed in the pre- 
ceding Letters. To these may be added the "Life of Father Paul," 
and the " Life of Boerhaave," in which it will be observed that 
he discovers the love of Chemistry, which never forsook him ; an 
Epigram, both in Greek and Latin, to Eliza Carter; the English 
Verses to the same Lady ; and a Greek Epigram to Dr. Birch. 

He wrote also the Preface to that year's Volume; which, 
though prefixed to it when bound, is always published with the 
Supplement, and is therefore the last composition belonging to 
it. The ability and nice adaptation with which he could draw 
up a prefatory address was one of his peculiar excellences; and 
this Preface particularly demands insertion. 

" The usual design of Addresses of this sort is to implore the 
candour of the Publick ; we have always had the more pleasing 
province of returning thanks, and making our acknowledgments 
for the kind acceptance which our monthly collections have met 
with. This, it seems, didnotsufficiently appear from the numerous 
sale and repeated impressions of our books, which have at once 

* An Ode to Mr. Urban. See before, p. xvi. 



XXll PREFACE. 

exceeded our merit and our expectation ; but have been still 
more plainly attested by the clamours, rage, and calumnies of 
our Competitors, of whom we have seldom taken any notice, 
not only because it is cruelty to insult the depressed, and folly 
to engage with desperation, but because we consider all their 
outcries, menaces, and boasts, as nothing more than advertise- 
ments in our favour, being evidently drawn up with the bitter- 
ness of baffled malice and disappointed hope ; and almost dis- 
covering, in plain terms, that the unhappy Authors have Seventy 
Thousand London Magazines mouldering in their warehouses, 
returned from all pans of the Kingdom, unsold, unread, and 
disregarded. 

" Our obligations for the encouragement we have so long 
continued to receive are so much the greater, as no artifices 
have been omitted to supplant us. Our Adversaries cannot be 
denied the praise of industry ; how far they can be celebrated 
for an honest industry we leave to the decision of the Publick, 
and even of their brethren the Booksellers, not including those 
whose advertisements they obliterated to paste their invectives 
in our Book. 

"The success of the Gentleman's Magazine has given rise 
to almost* twenty Imitations of it, which are either all dead, 
or very little regarded by the World. Before we had published 
sixteen months, we met with such a general approbation, that a 
knot of enterprizing Geniuses, and sagacious Inventors, assem- 
bled from all parts of the Town, agreed with an unanimity 
natural to understandings of the same size to seize upon our 
whole plan, without changing even the title. Some weak objec- 
tions were indeed made by one of them against the design, as 
having an air of servility, dishonesty, and piracy ; but it was 
concluded that all these imputations might be avoided by giving 
the picture of St. Paul's instead of St. John's Gate ; it was, how- 
ever, thought indispensably necessary to add, printed in St. 
John's-street, though there was then no Printing-house in that 
place. That these Plagiaries should, after having thus stolen their 
whole design, charge us with robbery, on any occasion, is a 
degree of im.pudence scarcely to be matched, and certainly 
entitles them to the first rank among false heroes. We have 
therefore inserted their names at length in our February Maga- 
zine, p. 61, being desirous that every man should enjoy the 
reputation he deserves. 

* " The Weekly Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine and Oracle, The 
Universal Magazine, The General Magazine, The Oxford Magazine, The 
Distillers Magazine, The Country Magazine, the Manchester Magazine, The 
Leeds Magazine, The Dublin Magazine, and The Lady's Magazine, with seve- 
ral other of the like kind, all dwindled to their primitive'nothing ; to which we 
may add, The Bee, and Grub Street Journal, that enemy to all works of merit." 



PREFACE. XXlli 

" Another attack has been made upon us by the Author of 
Common Sense^ an Adversary equally malicious with the for- 
mer, and equally despicable. What were his views, or what his 
provocations, we know not, nor have thought him considerable 
enough to enquire. To make him any further answer, would be to 
descend too low; but, as he is one of those happy Writers who 
are best exposed by quoting their own words, we have given his 
elegant remarks in our Magazine for December at the foot of 
p. 640, where the Reader may entertain himself at his leisure 
with an agreeable mixture of scurrility and false grammar. 

" For the future, we shall rarely offend him by adopting any 
of his performances, being unwilling to prolong the life of such 
pieces as deserve no other fate than to be hissed, torn, and for- 
gotten. However, that the curiosity of our Readers may not be 
disappointed, we shall, whenever we find him a little excelling 
himself, perhaps print his dissertations upon our blue covers, 
that they may be looked over, and stripped off, without dis- 
gracing our collection or swelling our volumes. 

" We are sorry that, by inserting some of his Essays, we have 
filled the head of this petty Writer with idle chimeras of 
applause, laurels, and immortality ; this injury we did not 
intend, nor suspected the bad effect of our regard for him, till 
we saw in the Postscript to one of his Papers a wild prediction 
of the honours to be paid him by future ages*. Should any 
mention be made of him or his writings by Posterity, it will pro- 
bably be in words like these : * In the Gentleman's Magazine 
are still preserved some Essays under the specious and inviting 
title of Common Sense. How papers of so little value came to 
be rescued from the common lot of dulness, we are at this 
distance of time unable to conceive, but imagine that personal 
friendship prevailed with Urban to admit them in opposition to 
his judgment. If this was the reason, he met afterwards with 
the treatment which all deserve who patronise stupidity ; for the' 
Writer, instead of acknowledging his favours, complains of in- 
justice, robbery, and mutilation ; but complains in a style so bar- 
barous and indecent, as sufficiently confutes his own calumnies.' 
In this manner must this Author expect to be mentioned. 

" But of him, and our other Adversaries, we beg the Reader's 

* "I make no doubt but after some grave Historian, 3 or 400 hundred years 
hence, has described the corruption, the baseness, and the flattery which men run 
into in these times, he will make the following observation : m the year 1737, 
a certain unknown Author published a Writing under the title of Common Sense. 
This Writing came out weekly in little detached Essays, some of which are poli- 
tical, some moral, and others humourous. By the best judgment that can be 
formed of a work, the style and language of which is become so obsolete, that 
it is scarcely intelligible, it answers the tide well, &c." 

Common Sense Journal, March 11, 1738. 



XXIV PREFACE. 

pardon for having said so much. We hope it will be remem- 
bered in our favour, that it is sometimes necessary to chastise 
insolence, and that there is a sort of men who cannot distinguish 
between forbearance and cowardice." 

A circumstance occurred in this year, which brought the talents 
of Johnson into more active service. The Parliamentary Debates 
had hitherto been given by Cave, with the assistance of Mr. 
William Guthrie, a man who deserves to be respectfully noticed in 
the literary history of this country. In this manner all went on 
smoothly; till, on the 13th of April 1738, a complaint being 
made to the House, that the publishers of several written and 
printed News-Letters and Papers had taken upon them to give 
accounts therein of the Proceedings of the House ; it was 
Resolved, "That it is a high indignity to, and a notorious 
breach of, the Privileges of this House, for any News- writer, 
in Letters or other Papers (as Minutes, or under any other 
denomination), or for any Printer or Publisher of any printed 
Newspaper of any denomination, to presume to insert in the 
said Letters or Papers, or to give therein, any account of the 
Debates, or other Proceedings, of this House, or any Commit- 
tee thereof, as well during the Recess, as the Sitting of Parlia- 
ment ; and that this House will proceed with the utmost severity 
against such offenders." 

Some expedient was now become necessary ; and the caution 
(not the vanity) of Cave suggested to him a popular fiction. 
In June 1738 he prefaced the Debates by what he chose to call 
*'An Appendix to Captain Lemuel Gulliver's Account of the 
famous Empire of Liliputf' and the Proceedings in Parliament 
were given as " Debates in the Senate of Liliput," sometimes 
with feigned denominations of the several speakers, sometimes 
with denominations formed of the letters of their real names, in 
the manner of what is called an anagram, so that they might easily 
be decyphered. Parliament then kept the Press in a kind of 
mysterious awe, which made it necessary to have recourse to 
such devices. Not thinking himself perfectly secure, even by 
this total concealment of the speakers, he did not venture to put 
his own name to the Title-pages of the Magazine ; but pub- 
lished them in the name of a Nephew, " Edward Cave, junior**." 

In 1739, besides the share which Johnson took in conjunction 
with Guthrie in the Parliamentary Debates, and in correcting 
the labours of other Correspondents, the Magazine for the 

* This was continued till the death of that Nephew, at the end of the year 
1752. In 1753 Mr. Cave again used his own name ; and gave the Debates, as 
at first, with the initial and final letters of the name of each Speaker. 



PREFACE. XXV 

month of March, was enriched by the following animated *' Ap- 
peal to the Publick :'' 

* Men' moveat cimex Pantilius ? aut cruder quod 
Vellicet absentem Demetrius ?' Hor. 

* Laudat, amat, cantat nostros mea Roma libellos, 

Meque sinus omnes, me manus omnis liabet. 
Ecce rubet quidam, pallet, stupet, oscitat, odit. 
Hoc vole, nunc nobis carmina nostra placent.' Martial. 

** It is plain from the conduct of Writers of the first class, 
that they have esteemed it no derogation from their characters 
to defend themselves against the censures of Ignorance, or 
the calumnies of Envy. It is not reasonable to suppose that 
they always judged their adversaries worthy of a formal con- 
futation, but they concluded it not prudent to neglect the fee- 
blest attacks; they knew that such men have often done hurt, 
who had not abilities to do good ; that the weakest hand, if 
not timely disarmed, may stab a hero in his sleep ; that a 
worm, however small, ma}^ destroy a fleet in the acorn ; and that 
citadels, which have defied armies, have been blown up by rats. 

'' In imitation of these great examples, we think it not abso- 
lutely needless to vindicate ourselves from the virulent asper- 
sions of the Craftsman and Common Sense, because their accusa- 
tions, though entirely groundless, and without the least proof, 
are urged with an air of confidence which the unwary may mis- 
take for consciousness of truth. 

*' In order to set the proceedings of these calumniators in a 
proper light, it is necessary to inform such of our Readers as 
are unacquainted with the artifices of Trade, that we originally 
incurred the displeasure of the greatest part of the Booksellers 
by keeping this Magazine wholly in our own hands, without 
admitting any of that Fraternity into a share of the property. 
For nothing is niore criminal, in the opinion of many of them, 
than for an Author to enjoy more advantage from his own Works 
than they are disposed to allow him. This is a principle so well 
established among them, that we can produce some who 
threatened Printers with their highest displeasure for their 
having dared to print Books for those that wrote them. 
* Hinc irse, hinc odia. 

** This was the first ground of their animosity, which, for some 
ti'me, proceeded no farther than private murmurs, and petty 
discouragements. At length, determining to be no longer 
debarred from a share in so beneficial a project, a knot of them 
combined to seize our whole plan ; and, without the least attempt 
to vary or improve it, began with the utmost vigour to print and 
circulate the London Magazine, with such success, that in a few 
years, while we were printing the fifth edition of some of our 
earliest Numbers, they had Seventy Thousand of their Books 
returned unsold upon their hands. 

VOL. III. d 



XXVI PREFACE. 

" It was then time to exert their utmost efForts to put a stop 
to our progress, and nothing was to be left unattempted that 
interest could suggest. It will be easily imagined, that their 
influence among those of their own trade was greater than ours, 
and that their Collections were therefore more industriously- 
propagated by their brethren ; but this being the natural conse- 
quence of such a relation, and therefore excusable, is only men- 
tioned to shew the disadvantages against which we are obliged 
to struggle, and to convince the Reader, that we who depend so 
entirely upon his approbation, shall omit nothing to deserve it. 

"They then had recourse to Advertisements, in which they 
sometimes made faint attempts to be witty, and sometimes were 
content with being merely scurrilous ; but finding that their 
attacks, while we had an opportunity of returning hostilities, 
generally procured them such treatment as very little contri- 
buted to their reputation, they came at last to a Resolution of 
excluding us from the Newspapers in which they have any 
influence; by this means they can at present insult us with 
impunity, and without the least danger of confutation. 

" Their last, and indeed their most artful expedient, has been 
to hire and incite the weekly journalists against us. The first 
weak attempt was made by the Universal Spectator; but this we 
took not the least notice of, as we did not imagine it would ever 
come to the knowledge of the Publick. 

" Whether there was then a confederacy between this journal 
and Common Sense, as at present between Common Sense and 
the Craftsman^ or whether understandings of the same form 
receive at certain times the same impressions from the Planets, 
I know not; but about that time war was likewise declared 
against us by the redoubted Author of Common Sense; an Adver- 
sary not so much to be dreaded for his abilities as for the title 
of his Paper, behind which he has the art of sheltering himself 
in perfect securit}^ He defeats all his enemies by calling them 
enemies to Cominon Sense, and silences the strongest objections 
and the clearest reasonings, by assuring his readers that thej/ are 
contrary to Commoyi Sense. 

*' I must confess, to the immortal honour of this great Writer, 
that 1 can remember but too instances of a orenius able to use a 

o 

few syllables to such great and so various purposes. One is the 
old man in Shadwell, who seems, by long time and experience, to 
have attained to equal perfection with our Author ; for, * when 
a young fellow began to prate and be pert, says he, I silenced 
him with my old word, Tace is Latin for a candle^ 

" The other, who seems yet more to resemble this Writer, was 
one Goodman, a horsestealer, who being asked, after having 
been found guilty by the jury, what he had to offer, to prevent 
sentence of death from being passed upon him, did not attempt 



PREFACE. XXVii 

to extenuate his crime, but entreated the judge to beware of 
hanging a Good-man. 

"This Writer we thought, however injudiciouslvj worthy, 
not indeed of a reply, but of some correction ; and in our Maga- 
zine for December 1738, and the Preface to the Supplement, 
treated him in such a manner as he does not seem inclined to 
forget. From that time, losing all patience, he has exhausted his 
stores of scurrility upon us ; but our Readers will find, upon 
consulting the passages above-mentioned, that he has received 
too much provocation to be admitted as an impartial critick. 

** In our Magazine for January, p. 24, we made a remark upon 
the Craftsman, and in p. 3 dropped some general observations 
upon the weekly Writers, by which we did not expect to make 
them more our friends. Nor, indeed, did we imagine, that this 
would have inflamed CoJeh to so high a degree. His resentment 
has risen so much above the provocation, that we cannot but 
impute it more to what he fears than what he has felt. He 
has seen the solecisms of his brother Common Sense exposed, 
and remembers that 

*Tua Res agitur, Paries cum proximus ardet.' 



He imagines that he shall soon fall under the same censure, and 
is willing that our criticisms shall appear rather the effects of 
our resentment than our judgment. 

" For this reason 1 suppose (for I can find no other), he has 
joined with Common Sense to charge us with partiality, and to 
recommend the London Magazine, as drawn up with less regard 
to interest or party. A favour, which the Authors of that Col- 
lection have endeavoured to deserve from them by the most 
servile adulation. But as we have a higher opinion of the can- 
dour of Readers, than to believe that they will condemn us with- 
out examination, or give up their right of judging for themselves, 
we are unconcerned at this charge, though the most atrocious and 
malignant that can be brought against us. We entreat only to 
be compared with our Rivals, in full confidence, that not only 
our innocence, but our superiority will appear." 

This was followed by a Letter in the Daily Advertiser of 
April 18, by the same able hand : 

" Sir, It seems now an established custom with the Authors 
of the Craftsman and White-Fryers Comjnon Sense, to conclude 
their Papers with virulent reflections upon the Compilers of the 
Gentleman's Magazine ; and how just soever the reasons are 
which Urban, in his Appeal to the Publick, at the front of his last 
Book, has assigned for these their partial and repeated outcries, 
I cannot but applaud the method which he has taken to obviate 
any prejudices that might arise from them. He has publicly and 
seriously exhorted his Readers to compare his Collections with 



XXVlll PREEACE. 

those of his Rivals, for that no man can have a right to give his 
opinion in this dispute without making a comparison, is undeni- 
able ; and, from that which I have occasionally made, I am con- 
vinced that Urban has consulted his own reputation by proposing 
it. I have found, upon an impartial and candid examination, 
that in the first part, which contains Debates upon political sub- 
jects. Urban abounds in things, and his Rivals in words; that he 
has a chain of arguments, and they a flow of periods ; that their 
style is uniform and diffused ; his, varied, concise, and ener- 
getic. 

'' In the second part, which is the chief subject of dispute, I 
cannot discern any instance of partiality in either, or any argu- 
ment purposely suppressed or obscured ; Urban, indeed, some- 
times contracts the weekly Essays to a narrower compass, when 
he can do it without any injury to their strength or perspicuity, 
and thus he gains room for original Lives, Letters, and Disserta- 
tions, in which he confessedly and evidently excels his Com- 
petitors. 

*^ In the Poetical part, those who have any taste for that sort 
of reading will perceive a manifest difference: the great num- 
ber of ingenious originals which Urban is constantly supplied 
with, give a shameful foil to the crude productions in the other, 
which usually exhibits such trash as schoolboys would be whipt 
for; but, on the other hand, the greatest genius might own with 
honour many pieces inserted in the Gentleman's Magazine ; I 
need instance no farther than the last : and, indeed, it would 
argue an extreme injustice in poetical writers, if they should 
not preferably oblige him with their productions, who had from 
time to time proposed and disbursed such large benefactions in 
prizes for their encouragement. But although my judgment 
maybe doubted, which however is impartially given, the balance 
must incline, to Urban, by the suffrage of all who delight in 
musick, since he had added the notes, of some curious tunes to 
his poetry; an entertainment not to be met with in the other 
Magazine. 

'* The Historical, which makes the last division of the work, is 
for the most part carefully drawn up by both ; but, in the Foreign 
Article, Urban has of late, by the addition of Maps copied from 
the latest drafts, made an improvement of which his Rivals 
themselves cannot deny the usefulness or merit. And in his 
account of Domestic Transactions, he sometimes not only 
inserts curious minutes, but large articles, which, though very 
important, are neglected by his Competitors, as the City's Peti- 
tion in the Magazine for February, and the Lords' Protest in 
that for March." 



PREFACE. XXlX 

To the Magazine for 1739 there is no Preface; but that 
deficiency was supplied by the following appropriate Address to 
Sylvanus Urban on the conclusion of the Volume* : 

** Though hard the task each different taste to please, 
'Tis yours that labour to perform with ease; 
Party itself impartial to display, 
And charm alike the serious and the gay. 
Whoever, anxious for Britannia's fate. 
Turns his reflections on affairs of State, 
May here the wily Statesman's mazes wind, 
And secrets veil'd from vulgar Readers find ; 
With Liliputian Senators debate. 
And in their contests view — the British State. 
Is there who controversial depths would try ? 
Or to th' amazing heights of mystery fly ? 
Their different lines, lo ! Martin, Walker, bring, 
And Whitefield, Wesley, freely lend their wing. 
Here Tales, with pleasure and instruction fraught. 
Or shrewd ^Enigmas, lure the gay — to thought ; 
There sage Philosophy deep-musing tries 
T' explore the secrets of earth, air, and skies, 
With skill the Geographic Plans displayed 
Lend to Historic Page their friendly aid. 
And here, if Lyricks are the Reader's choice, 
Apt words instruct the mind, apt notes the voice. 
While Poesy, divinely-born, prepares 
To soothe our passions with her powerful airs, 
Or the fair forms displays, in sky-dipt teints, 
Which Nature, or which Virtue, strongly paints. 
«* These, Urban, thy enamell'd Garden show. 
Where flowers of every tribe and climate grow. 
Whate'er for scent, for beauty, or for use, 
Claim most esteem, thy rich parterres produce. 
Here lovely Natives of Britannia's soil. 
There fair Exotics, nursed with cost and toil. 
Delightful mixture, charm the curious sight. 
And all the beauties of the World unite. 
Hither resort, ye Virtuous, Learn'd, and Fair, 
Crop the sweet blooms, and breathe the fragrant air. 
But, timely warn'd, a near Inclosure ^y, 
Whose outward semblance cheats the heedless eye. 
The choaking weeds exile the blushing rose. 
The poppy there its sleepy influence shows ; 
The deadly nightshade breathes infection round, 
And sapless stalks o'erspread the tainted ground. Bardus." 

* I should have been glad to have pointed out the Author of these Lines, 
which I thought might possibly be Johnson's: but they were by an Oxford 
Correspondent, who had performed a similar act of kindness in 1735 and in 1736. 



XXX PREFACE. 

(1 

In 1740, Johnson wrote for the Magazine the Life of Drake; 
md the first parts of those of Adnniral Blake and Philip Barre- 
tier, which he finished in the next year. The following Pre- 
face also in that Volume is certainly from his masterly pen : 

" Having now concluded our Tenth Volume, we are unwilling 
to send it out without a Preface, though none of the common 
topicks of Prefaces are now left us. To implore the candour of 
the Publick to a Work so well received, would expose us to the 
imputation of aflPected modesty or insatiable avarice. To pro- 
mise the continuance of that industry, which has hitherto so 
generally recommended us, is at least unnecessary ; since from 
that alone we can expect the continuance of our success. To 
criticize the imitations of our Magazine, would be to trample on 
the dead, to disturb the dying, or encounter the still-born. To 
recommend our undertaking by any encomiums of our own, 
would be to suppose mankind have hitherto approved it without 
knowing why. And to mention our errors or defects, would be 
to do for our rivals what they have never yet been able to do for 
themselves. Our Preface had, therefore, been very short, had 
not fortune thrown into our hands an ingenious Dissertation, 
which we shall impart to our Readers, that they may not look 
upon the humble Compilers of a Monthly Chronicle with too 
much contempt, when they find such Writers employed to 
register the daily transactions of the Koman Heroes, And we 
cannot but flatter ourselves with some hope, that it will still 
more advance our reputation to shew, what will appear from 
the following Essay, that our Magazine is such a collection of 
political intelligence as Cicero himself would have approved." 

Then follows a very learned Dissertation '*on \he Acta Diurna 
of the Romans," undoubtedly by the same able Writer. 

A new aera in potiticks bringing on much warmer Parliamen- 
tary Debates, required "the pen of a more nervous Writer than 
he who had hitherto conducted them;" and "Cave, dismissing 
Guthrie, committed the care of this part of his monthly pub- 
jlication to Johnson ;" who had already given ample specimens 
lof his ability. But the Lilliputian disguise was still continued, 
even beyond the period of Johnson's Debates; [which, as has 
been authenticated by his own Diary, began Nov. 19, 1740, 
and ended Feb. 23, 1742-3.] And these Debates, which, every 
competent judge must allow, exhibit a memorable specimen of 
the extent and promptitude of Johnson's faculties, and which 
have induced learned Foreigners to compare British with Roman 
eloquence, were hastily sketched by Johnson while he was not 
yet 32, while he had little acquaintance with life, while he was 
struggling, not for distinction, but existence. 

Johnson's portion of the " Parliamentary Debates" was col- 
lected in 17b7 into two octavo volumes; to which the Editor 



PREFACE. XXXI 

has substituted the real for the fictitious Speakers. — " The 
illuminations of Johnson's Oratory," it is there properly ob- 
served, " were obscured by the jargon which Cave thought it 
prudent to adopt, to avoid Parliamentary indignation." 

Six days only before his death, this incomparable Friend 
requested to see the present Writer, from whom he had pre- 
viously borrowed some of the early Volumes of the Magazine, 
with a professed intention to point out the pieces which he had 
written in that collection. The books lay on this table, with 
many leaves doubled down, particularly those which contained 
his share in the Parliamentary Debates. And such was the 
goodness of Johnson's heart, that he solemnly declared, " that 
the only part of his Writings which then gave him any com- 
punction, was his account of the Debates in the Gentleman's 
Magazine; but that, at the time he wrote them, he did not 
think he was imposing on the world. The mode," he said, 
** was, to fix upon a Speaker's name ; then to make an argument 
for him ; and to conjure up an answer. He wrote those Debates 
with more velocity than any other of his productions; often 
three columns of the Magazine within the hour. He once wrote 
ten pages in a single day, and that not a long one, beginning per- 
haps at noon, and ending early in the evening. 

In 1741 he wrote for the Magazine the Conclusion of the 
Lives of Blake and Barretier ; a free Translation of the Jests of 
Hierocles, with an Introduction ; and (Mr. Boswell suggests) 
the following pieces : Debate on the Proposal of Parliament to 
Cromwell, to assume the Title of King, abridged, modified, and di- 
gested ; Translation of Abbe Gwynn's Dissertation on the Amazons ; 
and a Translation of Fontenelle's Panegyrick on Dr. Morin*. 

He concluded this year's assistance by the following Preface : 
** We have now completed our Eleventh Volume, with a suc- 
cess which no other periodical Work ever yet could boast of. 
The Gentleman's Magazine is read as far as the English lan- 
guage extends, and we see it re-printed from several presses in 
Great Britain, Ireland, and the Plantations. Our Debates and 
Poetical Pieces are copied by some, our Foreign History by 
others, and the Lives which we have inserted of eminent Men, 
have been taken into Works of larger size, and, with other parts 
of our Book, been translated into foreign languages. 

" We hope that the mention of these particulars will not be 
imputed to vanity, but to a proper regard for our Readers and 
Correspondents; for it is no more than justice to inform each 
Reader, that what he is pleased to encourage receives the sanc- 
tion and approbation of the learned and judicious ; and to con- 
ceal from bur Correspondents the satisfaction of knowing that 

* Two notes on this article appear undoubtedly to be Johnson's. 



XXXU PREFACE. 

what they oblige us with is most effectually diffused, would be 
an ill return for the preference they have given us : a favour, 
which will be as gratefully remembered as it has been long and 
largely experienced. 

" All the merit we at first pretended to, and all the share of 
applause we now claim, is from a diligent and impartial endea- 
vour to exhibit a well-chosen variety of subjects : to render this 
variety the greater, we resolved to make our Collection more in 
quantity than any other Editor's : what we have promised we 
have performed, and have besides added many original Pieces. 

" How those who profess to be only Collectors can be acquitted 
of imposture, in constantly asserting that they have more in quan- 
tity and greater variety, when they not only fall short of us more 
than 70 pages in a Volume, but confine themselves to fewer 
subjects, we leave the Publick to determine. 

" It is no wonder that these men, who can persist in a false- 
hood so easily to be confuted, should propagate another equally 
gross, though more malicious — that we are biassed by party 
considerations; a calumny which impartiality always receives 
from the bigots of all parties : nor have we escaped the censure 
of that very party whose particular interest we are said to espouse. 
*' As these imputations appear, therefore, to be suggested by 
the partiality and avarice of the propagators, we have nothing to 
do but intreat a comparison, that those to whom they are sug- 
gested may judge from their own inspection and observation. 
They will, we hope, easily perceive that we pass by no object 
of laudable curiosity, omit no reigning topick of conversation, 
and forget no matter that may instruct the present age, or be 
useful to posterity.'' 

In 1742, on the suggestion of some literary friends, Mr. Cave 
commenced an interesting publication, under the title of *' Mis- 
cellaneous Correspondence ; containing Essays, Dissertations, 
&c. on various Subjects, sent to the Author of The Gentleman's 
Magazine/ which could not be conveniently inserted at length, 
or properly abridged." This work was continued till 17.47, 
when it was concluded by a ninth number, and a complete In- 
dex ; the whole forming a neat octavo volume, which is now ex- 
ceedingly rare, and to be found in very few sets of the Maga- 
zine. It is ornamented with a good portrait of Queen Elizabeth, 
accompanied by her Translation of a Dialogue of Xenophon, and 
one whole page in fac-simile of the Queen's hand-writing. 
The Miscellaneous Volume is thus briefly prefaced : 
«*Most of the following Pieces relate to subjects that have 
been controverted in the course of our Magazine, but could not 
be conveniently inserted, for the reasons mentioned in vol. x. p. 
250. We thought it therefore our duty to make a publication 
in this manner, which we hope our Correspondents will accept as 



PREFACE. XXXUl 

an instance of our gratitude and willingness to oblige them. We 
ought indeed to ask their pardon for so long a delay, it being 
not less than two years since we gave them expectations of seeing 
their Letters appear. But, after several sheets were printed 
off, some Dissertations which we mentioned in vol. x. p. 297, 
were unluckily mislaid. However, should this undertaking meet 
with a kind reception, we intend a second in a convenient time, 
and if the Authors of those Dissertations will favour us with new 
copies, we shall not fail to insert them. Besides those formerly 
mentioned, we have, towards the next number, been favoured 
with several Manuscripts too prolix for the Magazine, viz. Es- 
says on Biography — On Education — A Comparison between 
Buchanan and Johnson, &c. &c." 

/ In 1742 Johnson wrote for the Magazine, an Essay on the Ac- 
count of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough *, then the 
popular topick of conversation ; an Account of the Life of Peter 
Burman, chiefly taken from foreign publications ; the Life of 
Sydenham, afterwards prefixed to Dr. Swan's Edition of his 
Works; and the Proposals for printing " Bibliotheca Harleiana, 
or a Catalogue of the Library of the Earl of Oxford f." 

His Preface to the Volume for 1742 is well worth attention : 
" As continued favours demand repeated acknowledgments, 
we hope our gratitude will not be thought either ostentatious or 
troublesome, if we once more express our sense of the kind 
reception which we have now experienced to the end of the twelfth 
year. We have still the satisfaction of finding, not only by 
the applauses of our friends, but by a more certain proof, the 
continuance of our sale, that our Collections are yet highest in 
the esteem of the learned, inquisitive, and judicious; that our 
Debates are considered the most faithful and accurate repre- 
sentations of Senatorial proceedings ; that our Extracts from 
printed Papers are esteemed for their impartiality and per- 
spicuity; that our Poetry finds Advocates among the severest- 
criticks ; that our Account of Foreign Affairs is regarded as the 
best recapitulation of intelligence ; and that, where elegance is 
not to be attained, we are allowed so far the praise of diligence 

* This Essay is a short but masterly performance. We find him, in No. 13 
of his Rambler, censuring a profligate sentiment in that '^Account;" and again 
insisting upon it strenuously in conversation. 

f This account of that celebrated collection of books, in which he displays 
the importance to Literature of what the French call a Catalogue Raisonee, 
when the subjects of it are extensive and various, and it is executed with ability, 
cannot fail to impress all his readers with admiration of his philological attain- 
ments. It was afterwards prefixed to the first volume of the Catalogue, in 
which the Latin accounts of books were written by him. He was employed in 
this business by Mr. Thomas Osborne, the bookseller, who purchased the 
Library for 13,0*00/. a sum which Mr. Oldys says, in one of his manuscripts, was 
not more than the binding of the books cost 3 yet, as Dr. Johnson assured me, 
the slowness of the sale was such, that there was not much gained by it. 

VOL. III. e 



XXXIV PREFACE. 

and fidelity, that our Papers are consulted as the most copious 
repositories of Domestic Occurrences. 

** Among the many original Pieces, which we have inserted, 
the Lives of celebrated men have been thought worthy of parti- 
cular attention, and it shall be our endeavour to preserve it, by 
continuing our inquiries on that head. That we have hitherto 
oftener entertained our Readers with accounts of foreigners than 
our own countrymen, is not to be imputed to partiality, but to 
the care with which other nations preserve the memories of 
those to whom they are indebted for discoveries in science or 
works of genius. 

" It would afford us no small degree of satisfaction to free 
our own country from the censure of ingratitude to such as have 
extended its reputation, beyond the progress of our arms, or of 
our commerce, and therefore entreat those who have been 
acquainted with any circumstances of the lives of learned or 
remarkable men, to transmit them to us, that they may be added 
to those which we may obtain from other hands, or at least be 
treasured in our Collections, as materials for future Biographers. 

*' If any thing farther be thought, by our Correspondents, 
necessary to complete our plan, to which we have from year to 
year made additions, we continue to hope for advice and infor* 
mation ; for we are not yet so much elated by success, as to 
imagine that we have attained perfection. 

" Among those who have already favoured us with such hints, 
we cannot but pay a particular acknowledgment to the Author 
of the judicious proposal of an Introduction to our Magazine, 
which we hope to compile with that candour and impartiality 
which he has been pleased to commend in our past productions, 
and to comprise it in less compass than he appears to expect. 

" As we doubt not but the favour of the Publick will be pre- 
served by the same conduct which obtained it, we shall endea- 
vour to show, that applause has rather increased than relaxed 
our application, and that victory has not lulled us in security, 
but excited us to vioilance." 



I 



In the Magazine for 1743, Johnson wrote "Considerations 
11 the Dispute, between Crousaz and Warburton, on Pope's 
Essay on Man ;" in which, while he defends Crousaz, he shews 
an admirable metaphysical acutenes, and temperance in contro- 
versy ; " Ad Lauram parituram Epigrarama ;" and " A Latin 
Translation of Pope's Verses on his Grotto*;" and, as he could 
employ his pen with equal success upon a small matter as a 
great, I suppose him to be the Author of an Advertisement for 
Osborne, concerning the great Harleian Catalogue. Two other 

* Mr. Hector was present when this Epigram was made impromptu. The 
first line was proposed by Dr. James, and Johnson was called upon by the com- 
pany to finish it, which he instantly did. 



PREFACE. XXXV 

Poems by him in this year's Magazine, both written in early 
life, deserve particular notice. The first of them, "Ad Orna- 
tissimam Puellam," is ascribed to him on the authority of the 
late James Bindley, Esq. ; the other, " Friendship, an Ode,'* 
on that of Mr. Hector. 

To this Volume of the Magazine he also furnished a Preface : 

" It has been for many years lamented, by those who are most 
eminent among us for their understanding and politeness, that the 
struggles of opposite parties have engrossed the attention of the 
Publick, and that all subjects of conversation, and all kinds of 
Learning, have given way to Politicks. 

" Though under a form of Government Hke ours, which 
makes almost every man a secondary Legislator, politicks may 
justly claim a more general attention than where the people 
have no other duty to practise than obedience, and where to 
examine the conduct of their superiors would be to disturb their 
own quiet, without advantage, yet it must be owned that life 
requires many other considerations, and that politicks may be 
said to usurp the mind, when they leave no room for any other sub- 
ject. For this reason, we have taken care to diversify our Work, 
and have thought ourselves by no means negligent of the pub- 
lic happiness, when we interspersed political controversies 
with dissertations on morality, commerce, and philosophy. 

" The most important part of our commerce arises from 
the manufacture of our wool ; we have, therefore, distinguished 
it by a proportionate regard, and have collected and abridged 
all the schemes that have been proposed for preventing its 
exportation ; we have not only preserved many from being lost, 
but have drawn attention upon others which would, by their 
length, have discouraged many from perusing them, and, by 
inserting them all in our Volumes, have facilitated the task of 
comparing them. On this subject, as well as others, we have 
published many curious Letters, which the reputation of our 
Work has procured us from Correspondents eminent in all parts 
of knowledge, who have been pleased to consider this Magazine 
as the great Canal of intelligence, by which their sentiments 
may be most expeditiously transmitted to the world. To these 
favours we thankfully attribute much of the esteem with which 
the Publick has distinguished us ; and hope to secure the 
continuance of them by the diligence and impartiality that 
first obtained them." 

That Johnson was busily employed during the whole of 1743, 
is evident from the following Letters to Mr. Cave ; and that 
he was struggling hard for an humble maintenance, from one 
to Mr. Levett, which will be found in page xl. 



XXXVl PREFACE. 

*' Sir, LNo date nor signature, but written in 1743]. 

"You did not tell me your determination about the * Sol- 
dier's Letter*;' which I am confident was never printed. I 
think it will not do by itself, or in any other place so well as the 
Magazine Extraordinary. If you will have it at all, I believe you 
do not think I set it high ; and I will be glad if what you give, 
you will give quickly. 

"You need not be in care about something to print; for I 
have got the State Trials f, and shall extract Layer, Atterbury, 
and Macclesfield, from them, and shall bring them to you in a 
fortnight; after which I will try to get the South Sea Report." 

" Mr. Urban, [August . . ., 1743.] 

" As your Collections show how often you have owed the 
ornaments of your poetical pages to the Correspondence of the 
unfortunate and ingenious Mr. Savage: J, I doubt not but you have 
so much regard to his memory as to encourage any design that 
may have a tendency to the preservation of it from insults or ca- 
lumnies, and therefore with some degree of assurance intreat you 
to inform the Publick, that his Life will speedily be published 
by a person who was favoured with his confidence, and received 
from himself an account of most of the transactions which he 
proposes to mention, to the time of his retirement to Swansey, 
in Wales. From that period to his death in the prison of Bristol, 
the account will be continued from materials still less liable 
to objection, his own Letters and those of his Friends ; some of 
which will be inserted in the work, and abstracts of others sub- 
joined in the margin. It may be reasonably imagined that others 
may have the same design, but as it is not credible that they 
can obtain the same materials, it must be expected that they 
will supply from invention the want of intelligence, and that 
under the title of the Life of Savage they will publish only a 
novel filled with romantic adventures, and imaginary amours. 
You may therefore perhaps gratify the lovers of truth and wit, by 
giving meleave to inform them inyourMagazine,that my Account 
will be published in 8vo. by Mr. Roberts, in Warwick Lane§." 

* This must have been something of a friend of Johnson's, recommended by 
him to Cave. Had it been his own, he would not have said, ** I am confident 
was never printed ;" and I suspect it was never printed at all. 

f The ** State Trials and Proceedhigs for High Treason, from Richard II. to 
the 14th of George 11." were published, in folio, 1742. 

X Savage's '* Volunteer Laureats" were printed in the Magazine at the times 
when they were written. He died August 5, 1743, in his 45th year. 

§ This was Johnson's first announcement of the Life of Savage ; and which 
he soon after completed, as appears by the next Letter, and by the following 
Memorandum: ** The I4th day of December, 1743, Received of Mr. Ed. 
Cave the sum of Fifteen Guineas, in full, for compiling and writing * The Life 
of Richard Savage, Esq.' deceased ; and in full for all materials thereto applied, 
and not found by the said Edward Cave. I say, received by me Sam. Johnson.'' 



PREFACE. XXXVll 

<* Sir, [No date; but written in 1743.] 

** I believe I ani going to write a long Letter, and have 
therefore taken a whole sheet of paper. 

*' The first thing to be written about is our Historical Design. 

" You mentioned the proposal of printing in numbers as an 
alteration in the scheme ; but I believe you mistook, some way 
or other, my meaning. I had no other view than that you might 
rather print too many of five sheets, than of five-and-thirty. 

"With regard to what I shall say on the manner of proceed- 
ing, I would have it understood as wholly indifferent to me; 
and my opinion only, not my resolution, Emptoris sit eligere. 

** I think the insertion of the exact dates of the most im- 
portant events in the margin, or of so many events as may 
enable the reader to regulate the order of facts with exact ness, 
the proper medium between a Journal, which has regard only 
to time, and a History, which ranges facts according to their 
dependence on each other, and postpones or anticipates accord- 
ing to the convenience of narration. I think the work ought to 
partake of the spirit of history, which is contrary to minute 
exactness, and of the regularity of a Journal, which is incon- 
sistent with spirit. For this reason, I neither admit numbers or 
dates, nor reject them. 

" I am of your opinion with regard to placing most of the 
Resolutions, &c. in the margin, and think we shall give the most 
complete account of Parliamentary proceedings that can be con- 
trived. The naked papers, without any historical treatise inter- 
woven, require some other book to make them understood. I 
will date the succeeding facts with some exactness, but I think 
in the margin. 

** You told me on Saturday that I had received money on this 
work, and found set down 13/. 2s. 6d. reckoning the half-guinea 
of last Saturday. As you hinted to me that you had many calls 
for money, I would not press you too hard, and therefore shall 
desire only, as I send it in, two guineas for a sheet of copy, the 
rest you may pay me when it may be more convenient ; and even 
by this sheet-payment I shall, for some time, be very expensive *. 

" The Life of Savage I am ready to go upon ; and in Great 
Primer, and Pica notes, I reckon on sending^^in half a sheet a 
day ; but the money for that shall likewise lie by in your hands 

* What the "Historical Design" was, has not hitherto been ascertained. It 
is evident from this Letter that the subject was Parliamentary ; and that it was a 
Work on which Johnson was employed by Cave. That he was zealous in the 
task is evinced by the following Letter to Dr. Birch, dated Sept. 29, 1743 : 

** Sir, I hope you will excuse me for troubling you on an occasion on which 
I know not whom else I can apply to. I am at a loss for the Lives and Charac- 
ters of Earl Stanhope, the two Craggs, and the Minister Sunderland ; and beg 

e3 



XXXVIU PREFACE. 

till it is done. With the Debates, shall not I have business 
enough — if I had but good pens ? 

** Towards Mr. Savage's Life * what more have you got ? 
I would willingly have his 'Trial/ &c. and know whether his 
* Defence f be at Bristol; and would have his * Collection of 

you will inform me where I may find them, and send any pamphlets, &c. 
relating to them to Mr. Cave, to be perused for a few days by. Sir, 

*' Your most humble servant, "Sam. Johnson." 
' From the peculiar manner in which the following Advertisement appears in 
the Magazine for July 1744, p. 400, I was induced to conjecture that tne Work 
in question was, " On the Use and Abuse of Parliaments ; in Two Historical 
Discourses; viz. 1. A general View of Government in Europe. 2. A Detection 
of the Parliament of England for the Year l660." No Autnor's or Publisher's 
Name is introduced ; and, thinking I had made a very important discovery, I 
eagerly sought for the book, which I had not before seen, and instantly perceived 
that I was on a wrong scent ; that mysterious Work being in reality the produc- 
tion of James Ralph, a powerful, but violent Party- writer. What Johnson's "His- 
torical Design " was, therefore, still remains to be discovered. Cave's Proposals 
for publishing the Hon. Anchitel Gray's Debates, did not appear till March 1745. 
* Of this Life, Dr. Johnson told me, he wrote 48 octavo pages in one day ; 
but that day included the night, for he sat up all the night to do it. It was 
published early in February 1743-4; and in the Magazine for that month 
appeared this Letter to Mr. Urban : 

** There are some reasons to believe that your giving place to the Letter in 
your Magazine for August last, concerning a design to publish the Life of Mr. 
Richard Savage, from authentic materials, has prevented several from writing on 
that subject; but I conceive that in this you have not done any injury but a 
service to the Publick, since the performance promised in that Letter has by the 
judicious Author of the Champion been thought worthy of the following character : 
<^* The Pamphlet, entitled. An Account of the Life of Mr. Savage, Son of E. 
Rivers, is, without flattery to its author, as just and well-written a piece as, of 
its kind, I ever saw ; so that at the same time that it highly deserves, it certainly 
stands very little in need of this recommendation. 

" As to the history of the unfortunate Person whose Memoirs compose this 
Work, it is certainly penned with equal accuracy and spirit, of which I am so 
much the better judge, as I know many of the facts mentioned in it to be 
strictly true, and very fairly related. Besides, it is not only the story of Mr. 
Savage, but innumerable incidents relating to other persons and other affairs, 
which render this a very amusing, and withal a very instructive and valuable 
performance. The Author's Observations are short, significant, and just, as his 
narrative is remarkably smooth, and well disposed. His reflections open to us all 
the recesses of the human heart, and in a word, a more just or pleasant, a more 
nagaging or a more improving treatise on the excellencies and defects of human 
nature, is scarce to be found in our own, or perhaps in any other language." 

This character of the Life of Savage was not written, as has been supposed, by 
Fielding — but by Ralph, who, as appears from the Minutes of the Partners in 
**The Champion," in the possession of the late Mr. Reed, succeeded Fielding 
in his share of the Paper before the date of this eulogium. 

f Soon after the publication of this Life, which was anonymous, Mr. Walter 
Herte, dining with Mr. Cave at St. John's Gate, took occasion to speak very 
handsomely of the work. Cave told HarLe, when they next met, that he had 
made a man very happy the other day at his house, by the encomiums he be- 
stowed on the author of Savage's Life. "How could that be?'' Cave replied, 
**You might observe I sent a plate of victuals behind the skreen. There 
skulked the Biographer, one Johnson, whose dress was so shabby that he durst 
not make his appearance. He overheard our conversation ; and your applauding 
his performance delighted him exceedingly." 






PREFACE. XXXIX 

Poems,' on account of the Preface ; — * The Plain Dealer*;' — all 
the Magazines that have any thing of his, or relating to himf. 

" The boy found me writing this almost in the dark, when I 
could not quite easily read yours. 

" I have read the ItalianX — nothing in it is well. 

"I had no notion of having any thing for the Inscription^, 
I hope you do not think I kept it to extort a price. I could 
think of nothing, till to-da}^ If you could spare me another 
guinea for the Histoiy, I should take it very kindly, to-night; 
but if you do not, I shall not think it an injury. — I am almost 
well again. 

"I thought my Letter would be long; but it is now ended; 
and J am, Sir, Yours, &c. Sam. Johnson." 

I once possessed a paper, in Johnson's hand-writing, which I 
gave to Mr. Boswell, intituled, " Account between Mr. Edward 
Cave and Sam. Johnson, in relation to a version of Father Paul, 
&c. begun Aug. 2, 1738 ;" by which it appears, that from that 
day to April 21, 1739, Johnson received for that work 49/. 7^. in 
sums of one, two, three, and sometimes four guineas at a time, 
most frequently two. And it is curious to observe the minute and 
scrupulous accuracy with which Johnson has pasted upon it a 
slip of paper, which he has intituled " Small Account," and 
which contains one article, ** Sept. 9, Mr. Cave laid down 
2s. 6dy There is subjoined to this account a list of some sub- 
scribers to the work, partly in Johnson's hand-writing, partly in 
that of another person ; and there follows a leaf or two, of 
characters which have the appearance of a short-hand, which, 
perhaps, Johnson was then endeavouring to learn. 

* Published in 1724, and containing some account of Savage. 

t Savage's Tragedy of " Sir Thomas Overbury'' was acted at Drury Lane in 
1723, and printed in 1724. During his retirement in Wales, he had begun a 
second Tragedy on the same subject, which, at the time of his death, was 
left in pawn with the Gaoler in Bristol, with whom it remained when Savage 
died. After that event it was bought byMr. Cave, and laid by among his own 
papers, where it was found many years after. It was then put into the hands 
of Mr. William Woodfall, who made some alterations in it himself, and re- 
ceived others from both Mr. Garrick and Mr. Colman. These, however, con- 
sisted chiefly of transpositions. When completed, it was produced at Covent 
Garden in 1777, and acted with applause. 

The following Letter was from an eminent Bookseller at Bristol, who was an 
Uncle of the late Alderman Cadell : 

" Mr. Cave, Bristol, March 17, 1749. 

" According to your request, I have purchased Savage's Play, and have here 
sent it you with a receipt inclosed. The person of whom I purchased the Play 
is a particular friend of mine : he assures me, the play is perfect, and never was 
copied. I hope you will find it to your satisfaction. Please to give my account 
credit for the Five Guineas. I am. Sir, your humble servant, Tho. Cadell." 

X Some article intended for the Magazine. 

§ This, Mr. Malone thinks, might perhaps have been the Runic Inscription, 
Gent. Mag. XII. 132. But I doubt it, though unable to ascertain what it wag. 



Xl PREFACE. 

"To Mr. Levett, in Lichfield. 
" Sir, December 1, 1743. 

*' I am extremely sorry we have encroached so much upon 
your forbearance with respect to the interest, which a great 
perplexity of affairs hindered me from thinking of with that 
attention that I ought, and which I am not immediately able to 
remit to you, but will pay it (I think twelve pounds) in two 
months. I look upon this, and on the future interest of that 
mortgage as my own debt; and beg that you will be pleased to 
give me directions how to pay it, and not mention it to my dear 
Mother. If it be necessary to pay this in less time, I believe I 
can do it; but I take two months for certainty, and beg an 
answer whether you can allow me so much time. I think myself 
very much obliged to your forbearance, and shall esteem it a 
great happiness to be able to serve you. I have great opportu- 
nities of dispersing any thing that you may think it proper to make 
public. I will give a note for the money, payable at the time 
mentioned, to any one here that you shall appoint. I am. Sir, 
Your most obedient and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson, 
at Mr, Osborne' s, Bookseller, in Gray'*s Inn.'''' 

In 1744, Johnson appears to have been almost wholly occu- 
pied by his engagement with Osborne on the Harleian Cata- 
logue ; but Cave re-printed the Life of Barretier in a separate 
pamphlet ; and was favoured by Johnson with the following Pre- 
face to the Magazine : 

" Having now suspended controversy, and left our Antagonists 
to struggle for a time without interruption, under the weight of 
an undertaking to which they are by no means equal*, we shall 
confine ourselves to the acknowledgment of our obligations to 
the Publick, and to our ingenious Correspondents, whose contri- 
butions have increased so much that we have found it necessary 
to open new receptacles, in two more periodical pamphlets. 

" Of these one (to be published quarterly) is to be appro- 
priated to the Mathematicks f ; which, however, will not be so far 
excluded the Magazine, but that any useful discoveries will be 
taken notice of, though not in such manner as to disgust that 
part of Readers who delight in a different kind of amusement. 

"The other is an occasional Collection of the Miscellaneous 
Correspondence, of which we have already published three num- 
bers, and which we shall continue, that we may afford the ingenious 
that convenience of publication which could not be allowed in 

* ** This inability they in effect confess by the perpetual repetition of a shameless 
falsehood, in affirming in their title-pages and advertisements that \\\e.y have more 
in quantity, when every one who can compute may see that they have less by 
above one Magazine in the year.'' 

t This plan proved abortive j for which Cave apologized in the next Preface. 



PREFACE. Xli 

the Magazine. This instance of regard has been acknowledged, 
and rewarded by fresh contributions, particularly those of an 
accurate writer, who has favoured us with a plan and specimen, 
both of a Supplement and a new Edition to the Cyclopoedia : 
and it has been so well received that many letters of approbation 
are come to hand, with some few objections, which will be 
answered in No. IV. to be published in February ; so that 
we need only say here, that the specimen for abbreviating Mr. 
Chambers, in case of a new edition, is universally commended, 

'* We hope that a public benefit will arise from a general 
communication of sentiments among the Learned, to which we 
have the pleasure of contributing in several ways, and that we 
shall be able soon to congratulate the world on a new literary 
undertaking by several good hands, of which we shall not fail, 
from time to time, to give specimens in our Magazine." 

During the years 1745 and 1746 the communications of 
Dr. Johnson are rarely to be traced in the Magazine ; which, 
however, had now attained the height of its well-earned fame ; 
and, from the impartial fidelity with which the unhappy public 
disturbances of 1745 were detailed, the circulation was very 
considerably extended ; and this to so great a degree, that Mr. 
Cave patriotically concludes his Preface by " declaring a truth 
that may seem a paradox ; we have sold more of our books than 
we desire for several months past ; and are heartily sorry for the 
occasion of it, the present troubles." 

The Debates were still continued under the Liliputiah disguise; 
and in March this year appeared in the body of the Magazine, 
" Proposals for publishing the Debates of the House of Com- 
mons, from the year 1667 to the year 1694. Collected by the 
Hon. Anchitell Grey, Esq. who was thirty years Representative 
of the Town of Derby, Chairman of several Committees, and de- 
cyphered Coleman's Letters for the use of the House." 

The Debates in the Senate of Liliput were occasionally given 
in 1746 ; but it was only on matters of very extraordinary inte- 
rest; and in the two following years, when at all noticed, it was 
only as an article of news. 

On the 3d of April 1747, a complaint having been made in 
the House of Lords, against Edward Cave and Thomas Astley, 
for printing in their respective Magazines an account of the 
Trial of Simon Lord Lovat; they were both ordered into the 
custody of the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. On the 10th 
of April, Mr. Cave, in custody, petitioned the House ; expressing 
his sorrow for his offence; begging pardon for the same ; promis- 
ing never to offend again in the like manner; and praying to be 
discharged. On the 30th of April, the Lord Raymond reported 
from the Committee appointed to consider of the offences of Ast- 
ley and Cave, " That they had ordered Cave to be brought before 

VOL. III. f 



Xlii PREFACE. 

them ; and the book complained of being shewn to him, he 
owned that he printed and published it. Being asked, "how 
he came to publish an account of Lord Lovat's Trial, and from 
whom he had the account so published ?'* he said, '' it was 
done inadvertently ; he was very sorry for having offended ; that 
he published the said Account of the Trial from a printed Paper 
which was left at his house, directed to him ; but he does not 
know from whom it came." Beintr asked, " how lonor he has 
been a Publisher of Thti Gentleman^ s MagazineV he said, " that 
it is about sixteen years since it was first published : that he was 
concerned in it at first with his Nephew ; and, since the death 
of his Nephew, he has done it entirely himself." Notice being 
taken to him, "that the said books have contained Debates in 
Parliament;" he said, "he had left off the Debates — that he 
had not published any Debates relative to this House above 
these twelve months — that there was a Speech or two relating to 
the other House, put in about the latter end of last year." 
Being asked, " how he came to take upon him to publish De- 
bates in Parliament?" he said, "he was eictremely sorry for it; 
that it was a very great presumption ; but he was led into it by 
custom, and the practice of other people : That there was a 
monthly book, published before the Magazines, called The 
Political State, which contained Debates in Parliament ; and 
that he never heard, till lately, that any persons were punished 
for printing those books." Being asked, " how he came by 
the Speeches which he printed in The GentltmarCs Magaxine *" 
he said, " he got into the House, and heard them, and made 
use of a black-lead pencil, and only took notes of some remark- 
able passages ; and, from his memory, he put them together 
himself." Notice being taken to him, " that some of the 
Speeches were very long, consisting of several pages :" he said, 
**he wrote them himself, from notes which he took, assisted by 
his memory." Being asked, " whether he printed no Speeches 
but such as were so put together by himself, from his own 
notes ?" he said, " Sometimes he has had Speeches sent him 
by very eminent persons ; that he has had Speeches sent him 
by the Members themselves ; and has had assistance from some 
Members, who have taken notes of other Members' Speeches." 
Being asked, " if he ever had any person whom he kept in pay, 
to make Speeches for him ?" he said, " he never had." 

Though Johnson's personal assistance in the Magazine was 
unavoidably suspended, his regard for Mr. Cave continued un- 
diminished ; and to his advice Cave constantly resorted. 

In 1747 he occasiqnally afforded his powerful assistance to 
the Magazine ; and though many entire pieces cannot be as- 
certained to have come from his pen, he was frequently, if not 
constantly, employed to superintend the materials of the Maga- 



PREFACE. Xliii 

zinc; and several introductory passages may be pointed out 
which bear evident marks of his composition. The time, in- 
deed of the great Lexicographer was now most unremittingly 
devoted to the stupendous labour of his matchless Diction- 
ary; but the Magazine for the year 1747 was enriched by 
Johnson with five short poetical pieces, distinguished by three 
asterisks : 1 . <' A Paraphrase Latin Epitaph on Sir Thomas Han- 

mer." 2. " To Miss on her giving the Author a Gold 

and Silver Net-work Purse of her own weaving." 3. " The 
Winter's Walk." 4. "An Ode." 5. "To Lyce, an elderly 
Lady." 

In this year the first Emblematic Frontispiece was introduced, 
which were continued through ten volumes. 

In 1748 Johnson wrote a Life of Roscommon, with notes, 
which he afterwards much improved, converted the notes into 
text, and inserted it amongst his Lives of the English Poets. 

In November 1749, the Debates were restored, in "A Letter 
from a Member of Parliament to his Country Friend." 

In this year the second Imitation of Juvenal*, under the title 
of " The Vanity of Human Wishes," was printed at St. John^s Gate; 
as was "Irene t/' in the following month. 

But Cave's press was destined to higher honours. 

Early in 1750 he was not only the Printer, but the earliest 
Patron J of The Rambler ; of which the First Number was pub- 
lished March 20, 1749-50, and the last March 17, 1752; and, 
notwithstanding the Author's constitutional depression of spirits, 
and his labour in carrying on his Dictionary, he answered the 
calls of the press twice a week from the stores of his mind, 
during all that time; having received no assistance, except four 
billets in No. 10, by Mrs. Mulso, afterwards Mrs. Chapone; No. 
30, by Mrs. Catherine Talbot ; No. 97, by Mr. Samuel Richard- 
son § ; and Nos. 44 and 100, by Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. Posterity 

* Notwithstanding the reputation which Johnson had by this time acquired, 
the remuneration for it was far less than he had obtained for the former Poem, 
as the following document will testify : 

** Nov. 25, 1748. I received of Mr. Dodsley fifteen guineas, for which I assign 
him the right of copy of an Imitation of the Tenth Satire of Juvenal, written 
by me ; reserving to myself the right of printing one edition. Sam. Johnson.'' 

Sir John Hawkins represents this Poem as a consequence of the indifferent 
reception of his Tragedy. But the fact is, that the Poem was published on 
the 9th of January, and Irene was not acted till the 6th of February. 

f The progress of this Tragedy has been noticed in Johnson's Letter, pp. ix. 
xiv. and his Friend Garrick havmg now become the Proprietor of Drury Lane 
Theatre, Irene was there performed, but without much success, although the 
Manager contrived to have it played long enough to entitle the Author to his 
profits of his three nights ; and Dodsley bought the copyright for an hundred 
pounds. It has ever been admired in the closet, for the propriety of its senti- 
ments, and the elegance of its language. 

X See the Assignment in p. xliv. 

§ This communication by Richardson was six months subsequent to the Let- 
ter" here printed, at which time the name of the Author was a secret. 



xliv PREFACE. 

will be astonished when they are told, upon the authority of John- 
son himself, that many of these Discourses, which we should 
suppose had been laboured with all the slow attention of li- 
terary leisure, were written in haste as the moment pressed, 
without even being read over by him before they were printed. 

Johnson appears to have entered on "The Rambler'* without 
any communication with his friends, or desire of assistance. 
Whether he proposed the scheme himself is uncertain, but he 
was fortunate in forming a connexion with Mr. John Payne, a 
bookseller in Paternoster-row, and afterwards chief accountant 
in the Bank of England, a man with whom he lived many years 
in habits of friendship, and who on the present occasion treated 
him with great liberality. He engaged to pay him two guineas 
for each paper, or four guineas per week, which at that time 
must have been to Johnson a very considerable sum ; and he 
admitted him to a share of the future profits of the work, when 
it should be collected into volumes*; this share Johnson after- 
wards sold. 

The following Letters may here be not unaptly introduced: 

" Mr. Cave, Aug. 9, 1750. 

" Though I have constantly been a purchaser of the Ram- 
blers from the first five that you was so kind as to present me 
with, yet I have not had time to read any farther than those first 
five, till within these two or three days past. But I can go no 
farther than the thirteenth, now before me, till I have ac- 
quainted you, that I am inexpressibly pleased with them. I 
remember not any thing in the Spectators, in those Spectators 
that I read, for I never found time — (alas 1 my life has been a 
trifling busy one) to read them all, that half so much struck me ; 
and yet I think of them highly. 

* This appears by the following indisputable document : 

** To all people to whom these presents shall come, I Samuel Johnson, of 
Gough-square, London, gentleman, send greeting. Whereas Edward Cave, 
Citizen and Stationer of London, has bought paper and printed for me an edi- 
tion, in folio, of a Periodical Work called *The Rambler,' and is now about to 
reprint Seventy Numbers of the same Work, in twelves, at his own expence : 
Now know ye, that I, the said Samuel Johnson, do hereby authorize and im- 
power the said Edward Cave to sell and dispose of the second edition of * The 
Kambler,' in twelves, and to receive and apply to his own use so much of the 
money arising from such sale as shall fully repay and reimburse to him such 
sums as upon a just reckoning he shall appear to have expended on account of 
the said work ; provided that the names of John Payne and Joseph Bouquet be 
inserted in the new edition in twelves, as the persons for whom the said edition 
is printed, as is inserted in the said folio edition. In witness whereof, I, the 
said Samuel Johnson, have to these presents set my hand and seal, this first day 
of April, in the twenty-fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George 
the Second, by the grace of Goa, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, 
Defender of the Faith, and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred 
and fifty-nine. Sam. Johnson". 

" Sealed and delivered, being first duly stamped, in the presence of 

** David Henry, John Hawkesworth." 



PREFACE. xlv 

" I hope the world tastes them ; for its own sake, I hope the 
world tastes them ! The Author I can only guess at. There is 
but one man, I think, that could write them ; I desire not to 
know his name ; but I should rejoice to hear that they succeed ; 
for I would not, for any consideration, that they should be laid 
down through discouragement. 

" I have, from the first five, spoke of them with honour. I 
have the vanity to think that I have procured them admirers ; 
that is to say, readers. And I am vexed that I have not taken 
larger draughts of them before, that my zeal for their merit 
might have been as glowing as now I find it. Excuse the over- 
flowing of a heart highly delighted with the subject; and believe 
me to be an equal friend to Mr. Cave and the Rambler, as well 
as their most humble servant, S. Richardson." 

" Dear Sir, St. John's Gate, Aug. 29, 1750. 

" I received the pleasure of your letter of the 9th instant at 
Gloucester; and did intend to answer it from that city, though I 
had but one sound hand (the cold and rain on my journey having 
given me the gout) ; but as soon as I could ride, I went to 
Whitminster, the seat of Mr. Cambridge, who entertained the 
Prince there, and, in his boat, on the Severn. He kept me 
one night, and took me down part of his river to the Severn, 
where I sailed in one of his boats, and took a view of another 
of a peculiar make, having two keels, or being rather two long 
canoes connected by a floor or stage. I was then towed back 
again to sup and repose. Next morning he explained to me the 
contrivance of some waterfalls, which seem to come from a piece 
of water which is four feet lower. The three following days I spent 
in returning to town, and could not find time to write in an inn. 

*' I need not tell you that the Prince * appeared highly pleased 
with every thing that Mr. Cambridge shewed, though he called 
him upon the deck often to be seen by the people on the shore, 
who came in prodigious crowds, and thronged from place to 
place, to have a view as often as they could, not satisfied with 
one ; so that many who came between the towing-line and the 
bank of the river were thrown into it; and his Royal Highness 
could scarce forbear laughing ; but sedately said to them, *I am 
sorry for your condition.' 

"Excuse this ramble from the purpose of your letter. I re- 
turn to answer, that Mr. Johnson is the Great Rambler, being, 
as you observe, the only man who can furnish two such papers 
in a week, besides his other great business — and has not been 
assisted with above three. 

" I may discover to you, that the world is not so kind to itself 
as you wish it. The encouragement, as to sale, is not in pro- 
portion to the high character given to the work by the judicious, 
not to say the raptures expressed by the few who do read it. 

* The Prince of Wales. See Gent. Mag. 1750, p. 331. 



Xlvi PREFACE. 

But its being thus relished in numbers gives hopes that the sets 
must go off, as it is a fine paper, and, considering the late hour 
of having the copy, tolerably printed *. 

" When the Author was to be kept private (which was the first 
scheme) two gentlemen belonging to the Prince's Court came 
to me to enquire his name, in order to do him service ; and also 
brought a list of seven gentlemen to be served with the Ram- 
bler. As I was not at liberty, an inference was drawn that I 
was desirous to keep to myself so excellent a Writer. Soon 
after, Mr. Dodington* sent a Letter directed to the Rambler, 
inviting him to his house, when he should be disposed to 
enlarge his acquaintance. In a subsequent Number a kind of 
excuse was made, with a hint that a good Writer might not 
appear to advantage in conversation f. Since that time, several 
other circumstances, and Mr. Garrick and others, who knew the 
Author's powers and style from the first, unadvisedly asserting 
their (but) suspicions, overturned the scheme of secrecy. (About 
which there is also one paper.) 

" I have had Letters of approbation from Dr. Young, Dr. 
Hartley, Dr. Sharpe, Miss Carter, &c. &c. ; most of them, 
like you, setting them in a rank equal, and some superior, to 
the Spectators (of which I have not read many, for the rea- 
sons which you assign) : but, notwithstanding such recom- 
mendation, whether the price of two-pence, or the unfavourable 
season of their first publication, hinders the demand, no boast 
can be made of it. The Author (who thinks highly of your 
writings) is obliged to you ^for contributing your endeavours ; 
and so is, for several marks of your friendship, good Sir, 

** Your admirer, and very humble servant, Ed. Cave." 

The Preface to the Magazine for the year 1750 notices anqw 
swarm of Imitators, the very titles of which would have been 
lost, had they not been thus recorded : " The Polite and Ge- 
neral Entertainer;" *'The Kapelion, or Poetical Ordinary;" 

* The sale was very inconsiderable, and seldom more than 500; and it it 
very remarkable, and a most curious trait of the age, that the only paper which 
had a prosperous sale, and may be said to have been popular, was one which 
Dr. Johnson did no^ write. This was No. 97, Feb. IQ, 1750-1, written by 
Richardson, as I was assured by Mr. John Payne, the original publisher. Dr. 
Johnson indeed introduces it to his Readers with an elegant compliment, as 
**the production of an Author from whom the age has received greater favours, 
who has enlarged the knowledge of human nature, and taught the passions to 
move at the command of virtue." 

* The celebrated George Bubb Dodington, afterwards Lord Melcombe. 

t No. XIII, May 1, 1750, treats expressly on " the Duty of Secrecy ;'' and 
No. XIV, May 5, on ** the Difference between an Author's Writings and his 
Conversation," ends thus : ** A transition from an Author's Book to his Con- 
versation is too often like an entrance into a large City after a distant prospect. 
Remotely, we see nothing but Spires of Temples and Turrets of Palaces ; and ima- 
gine it the residence of splendour, grandeur, and magnificence : but, when we 
have passed the gates, we find it perplexed with narrow passages, disgraced with 
despicable cottages, embarrassed with obstructions, and clouded with smoke." 



PREFACE. xlvii 

"The Magazine of Magazines;" "The Grand Magazine ;*' 
"The Living World;" "The Traveller's Magazine;" "The 
Prisoner's Magazine ;" "The Theological Magazine;" "The 
Quaker's Magazine ;" " The Religious Magazine ;" " The 
Royal Magazine ;" " The British Magazine ;" "The Lady's;" 
"The Old Woman's," &c. 

In 1751, Johnson was carrying on his "Dictionary" and 
**The Rambler;" and, besides some occasional contributions to 
the Magazine, assisted in the detection of Lauder, who had im- 
posed on him and on the world by advancing forged evidence 
that Milton was a gross plagiary. 

About this period a material change took place in the compi- 
lation of the Miscellaneous part of the Magazine. Selections 
from other periodical Publications were gradually laid aside, 
and the Miscellany was rendered in a great degree an original 
work. This (as is observed in the Preface for the year 1752) " was 
eflPected chiefly by the favours received from a large number 
of ingenious and learned Contributors, by whom many subjects 
of the highest importance are treated with accuracy, spirit, and 
candour. While so many men of unquestionable erudition and 
abilities, too elevated to be bribed, too distant to be courted, 
unite in one design of propagating science by our vehicle, we 
have little to dread from competitors," &c. 

In 1752 the Proceedings in Parliament were reported briefly, 
in the shape of a Letter, thus introduced : 

"The following heads of Speeches in the H of C 

were given me by a Gentleman, who is of opinion, that Mem- 
bers of Parliament are accountable to their Constituents for 
what they say, as well as what they do, in their Legislative 
capacity — that no honest man, who is intrusted with the liberties 
and purses of the people, will be ever unwilling to have his 
whole conduct laid before those who so intrusted him, without 
disguise — that, if every Gentleman acted upon this just, this 
honourable, this constitutional principle, the Electors them- 
selves only would be to blame, if they re-elected a person 
guilty of a breach of so important a trust. — But let the argu- 
ments speak for themselves. Thus much only may be necessary 
to premise, that, as the state of public afl"airs was, in a great 
measure, the same both last year and this, I send you a Speech, 
in the Committee of Supply, upon the number of Standing 
Forces for the year 1751, and also another, in the last Session 
of Parliament, for the year 1752. You may be assured they 
are really genuine, and not such an imposition upon the 
Speakers and the Publick, as some that have appeared in other 
Monthly Collections*." 

* From the above period, the Debates were regularly given, as formerly, with 
the initial letters of the several Speakers, till the end of 1782: subsequently to 



Xlviii PREFACE. 

Not long before Mr. Cave's death, he was busily employed 
in preparing and printing a General Index to the first Twenty 
Volumes of the Gentleman's Magazine, which was published in 
1753, with a Preface* by his incomparable Friend ; whose 
regard was still farther evinced by the following affectionate 
paragraph, which concludes his Memoir of Mr. Cave : 

" He continued to improve his Magazine f, and had the satis- 
faction of seeing its success proportionate to his diligence, till 
in the year 1751 his wife died of an asthma J; with which, though 
he seemed not at first much affected, yet in a few days he lost 
his sleep and his appetite; and, lingering tivo years, fell, by 
drinking acid liquor, into a diarrhoea, and afterwards into a kind 
of lethargic insensibility, in which one of the last acts of reason 
he exerted, was fondly to press the hand that is now writing this 
little narrative. He died on January 10, 1754, oet. 63, having 
just concluded the twenty-third annual collection." 

Again, some years later, Jan. 14, 1756, Johnson says, " To 
every joy is appended a sorrow. The name of Mrs. Carter 
introduces the memory of Cave. — Poor dear Cave ! I owed him 
much : for to him I owed that I have known you. He died, I 
am afraid, unexpectedly to himself: yet surely unburthened 
with any great crime ; and for the positive duties of Religion, I 
have no reason to condemn him for neglect." 

Mr. Pennington, in his Life of Mrs. Carter, adds : " Mr. 
Cave was much connected with the Literary World ; and his 
friendship for Mrs. Carter was the means of introducing her to 
many Authors and Scholars of note ; among these there was 
Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Johnson §." 

which, they have been printed without the least affectation of disguise ; and 
form, in the whole, a complete and impartial report for nearly ninety years. 

* Re-printed in the First Volume of the General Index. 

f Mr. Cave had this so much at heart, that it was hardly possible to miss 
the good effects of such a temper. If he heard of the loss of a single customer, 
he would say, ** Let us be sure to look up something, taking of the best, for 
the next month." 

X Prefixed to the Volume for 1735, is a jew d'esprit under the title of " Mrs. 
Cave's Lecture," which (under the signature of Susan Urban) pleasantly ban- 
ters her husband's fondness for new Projects, particularly his then proposed pub- 
lication of Du Halde's China; and the various Prizes he had offered for good 
Poetry. His own personal habits of life are also agreeably depicted. 

§ By a Letter from Mr. Cave to Dr. Birch, Nov. 28, 1739, we find that 
*' Johnson advised Mrs. Carter to undertake a translation of * Boethius de Con- 
solatione,' because there is prose and verse; and to put her name to it when 
published." This advice was not followed ; probably from an apprehension that 
the work was not sufficiently popular for an extensive sale. — Mr. Cave was, in 
1739, the Printer and Publisher of "Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy explained, 
for the Use of the Ladies; in Six Dialogues on Light and Colours; from the 
Italian of Algarotti ; translated by Miss Carter;" 2 vols. 12mo. A handsome 
complimentary Poem to Miss Carter on this publication, by Dr. J. Swan, ap- 
peared in the Magazine for 1739, p. 322. 



PREFACE. Xlix 

A good Portrait of Mr. Cave, by Worlidge, after the manner 
of Rembrandt, appeared in the Magazine for 1754, from which the 
Portrait prefixed to this volume is copied. 

There is another Portrait of him, by Grignion, with emble- 
matic devices, thus inscribed : 

" Edward Cave, ob. 10 Jan. 1754, eetat. 62. 
The first Projector of the Monthly Magazines. 
Th' Invention all admired, and each how he 
To be th' Inventor miss'd." 

Mr. Cave was buried in the Church of St. James, Clerl^enwell : 
but the following inscription, to the memory of his Father and 
himself, which was written by Dr. Hawkesworth, is placed on a 
table monument in the church-yard at Rugby: 

**Near this place lies the body of 

Joseph Cave, late of this parish, 

who departed this life Nov. 18, 1747, aged 80 years. 

He was placed by Providence in a humble station : 

but Industry abundantly supplied his wants, 

and Temperance blest him with 

Content and Health. 

As he was an affectionate Father, 

he was made happy in the decline of life 

by the deserved eminence of his eldest Son, 

Edward Cave; 

who, without interest, fortune, or connexions, 

by the native force of his own Genius, 

assisted only by a Classical Education, 

which he received in the Grammar-school 

of this Town, 

planned, executed, and established 

a Literary Work, called 

The Gentleman's Magazine; 

whereby he acquired an ample Fortune, 

the whole of which devolved to his Family. 

Here also lies the body of Esther his wife, 
who died Dec. 30, 1734, aged 69 years." 

On the North side of the same tomb : 

" Here also lies 

the body of William Cave, 

second son of the said Joseph and Esther Cave, 

who died May 2, 1757, aged 62 years ; 

and who, having survived his elder Brother 

Edward Cave, 

inherited from him a competent estate ; 

and, in gratitude to his Benefactor, 

ordered this Monument, to perpetuate his memory. 

vol. III. g 



1 PREFACE. 

He livM a Patriarch in his numerous race, 

And shew'd in charity a Christian's grace : 

Whate'er a Friend or Parent feels, he knew ; 

His hand was open, and his heart was true ; 

In what he gain'd and gave, he taught mankind, 

A grateful always is a generous mind. 

Here rest his clay ! His soul must more than rest ; 

Who blest when living, dying must be blest." 

Sir John Hawkins, who in early life was a frequent visitor at 
St. John's Gate, thus characterizes his old Friend Edward Cave : 

"On the first appearance of a stranger, his practice was to 
continue sitting, a posture in which he was ever to be found, 
and, for a few minutes, to continue silent: if at any time he was 
inclined to begin the discourse, it was generally by putting a leaf 
of the Magazine then in the press into the hands of his visitor, 
and asking his opinion of it. He was so incompetent a judge 
of Johnson's abilities, that, meaning at one time to dazzle him 
with the splendour of some of those Luminaries in Literature who 
favoured him with their correspondence, he told him that, if he 
would, in the evening, be at a certain alehouse in the neigh- 
bourhood of Clerkenwell, he might have a chance of seeing Mr. 
Browne and another or two of the persons mentioned in the 
subsequent pages : Johnson accepted the invitation ; and being 
introduced by Cave, dressed in a loose horse-man's coat, and 
such a great bushy uncombed wig as he constantly wore, to the 
sight of Mr. Browne, whom he found sitting at the upper end 
of a long table, in a cloud of tobacco-smoke, had his curiosity 
gratified. Johnson saw very clearly those offensive particulars 
that made a part of Cave's character; but, as he was one of 
the most quick-sighted men I ever knew in discovering the good 
and amiable qualities of others, a faculty which he has displayed, 
as well in the Life of Cave, as in that of Savage, so was he ever 
inclined to palliate their defects ; and though he was above court- 
ing the patronage of a man whom, in respect to mental endow- 
ments, he considered much inferior, he disdained not to accept 
it when tendered with any degree of complacency. 

" Cave manifested his good fortune by buying an old coach 
and a pair of older horses ; and, that he might avoid the suspi- 
cion of pride in setting up an equipage, he displayed to the 
world the source of his affluence, by a representation of St. 
John's Gate, instead of his arms, on the door-pannels. This he 
told me himself, was the reason of distinguishing his carriage 
from others, by what some might think a whimsical device, and 
also for causing it to be engraven on all his plate. 

" It might seem that between men so different in their endow- 
ments and tempers as Johnson and Cave were, little of true 



PREFACE. 11 

friendship could subsist ; but the contrary was the case. Cave, 
though a man of saturnine disposition, had a sagacity which had 
long been exercised in the discrimination of men, ii> searching 
into the recesses of their minds, and finding out what they were 
fit for; and a liberality of sentiment and action, which, under 
proper restrictions, inclined him not only to encourage genius 
and merit, but to esteem and even to venerate the possessors of 
those qualities as often as he met with them : it cannot, there- 
fore, be supposed but that he entertained a high regard for such 
a man as Johnson, and, having had a long experience of his 
abilities and integrity, that he had improved this disposition into 
friendship. Johnson, on his part, sought for other qualities in 
those with whom he meant to form connexions. Had he deter- 
mined to make only those his friends whose endowments were 
equal to his own, his life would have been that of a Carthusian. 
He was therefore more solicitous to contract friendships with 
men of probity and integrity, and endued with good moral qua- 
lities, than with those whose intellectual powers, or literary at- 
tainments, were the most conspicuous parr of their character ; 
and of the former. Cave had a share, sufiicient to justify his 
choice. On this mutual regard for each other, as on a solid 
basis, rested the friendship between Johnson and Cave. It was 
therefore with a degree of sorrow proportioned to his feelings 
towards his friends, which were ever tender, that Johnson re- 
flected on the loss he had to sustain, and became the narrator 
of the most important incidents of his life. In the account 
which he has given of his death, it will be readil}^ believed that 
what he had related respecting the constancy of his friendship, 
is true, and that when, as the last act of reason, he fondly 
pressed the hand that was afterwards employed in r£Cording his 
memory, his aflPection was sincere." 

The following brief notices of the early Friends and Corre- 
spondents of Mr. Cave are given by Sir John Hawkins, who 
was himself an Honorary Member of that Literary Fraternity : 

" Rev. Moses Browne, originally a pen-cutter, was, so far as 
concerned the poetical part of it, the chief support of the Ma- 
gazine, which he fed with many a nourishing morsel. This per- 
son, being a lover of Angling, wrote Piscatory Eclogues ; and 
was a candidate for the fifty-pound prize mentioned in John- 
son's first letter to Cave, and for other prizes which Cave en- 
gaged to pay him who should write the best Poem on certain 
subjects ; in all or most of which competitions Mr. Browne had 
the good fortune to succeed. He published these and other 
Poems of his writing in an octavo volume, London, 1739 ; and has 
therein given proofs of an exuberant fancy and a happy in- 
vention. Some years after, he entered into holy orders. A far- 
ther account of him may be seen in the Biographia Drama- 



lii PREFACE. 

tica, to a place in which work he seems to have acquired a 
title by some juvenile compositions for the Stage. Being a 
person of a religious turn, he also published in verse a series of 
devout contemplations, called Sunday Thoughts, Johnson, who 
often expressed his dislike of Religious Poetry, and who, for the 
purpose of Religious meditation, seemed to think one day as 
proper as another, read them with cold approbation, and said, 
he had a great mind to write and publish Monday Thoughts, — - 
To the proofs above adduced of the coarseness of Cave's man- 
ners, let me add the following : he had undertaken, at his own 
risk, to publish a Translation of Du Halde's History of China, 
in which were contained sundry geographical and other plates. 
Each of these he inscribed to one or other of his friends ; and, 
among the rest, one to Moses Browne. With this blunt and fa- 
miliar designation of his person, Mr. Browne was justly offended. 
To appease him. Cave directed an engraver, to introduce with a 
caret under the line Mr. ; and thought, that in so doing, he 
hadmadeample amends to Mr. Browne for the indignity done him. 

" Mr. John Duick^ also a pen-cutter, and a near neighbour of 
Cave, was a frequent contributor to the Magazine, of short 
poems, written with spirit and ease. He was a kinsman of 
Browne, and author of a good copy of encomiastic verses pre- 
fixed to the collection of Browne's Poems above mentioned. 

** Mr. Foster Webb, a young man who had received his edu- 
cation in Mr. Watkins's academy in Spital-square, and after- 
wards became clerk to a merchant in the city, was at first a 
contributor to the Magazine, of Enigmas, a species of poetry 
in which he then delighted, but was dissuaded from it by the 
following lines, which appeared in the Magazine for October 
1740, after a few successful essays in that kind of writing : 

* Too modest Bard, with enigmatic veil 
No longer let thy Muse her charms conceal ; 
Though oft the Sun in clouds his face disguise. 
Still he looks nobler when he gilds the skies. 
Do thou, like him, avow thy native flame. 
Burst through the gloom, and brighten into fame.' 

** After this friendly exhortation, Mr. Webb, in those hours 
of leisure which business afi^orded, amused himself with trans- 
lating from the Latin Classics, particularly Ovid and Horace : 
from the latter of these he rendered into English verse, with bet- 
ter success than any that had before attempted it, the Odes, 
" Q,uis multa gracilis te, puer, in rosa ;" " Solvitur in acris hyems 
grata vice veris, et Favoni ;" " Parens Deorum cultor et infre- 
quens ;" and " Diffugere nives, redeunt jam gramina campis ;" 
all which are inserted in Cave's Magazine. His signature was 
sometimes Telarius, at others Vedastus, He was a modest, in- 



PREFACE. liif 

genious, and sober young man ; but a consumption defeated 
the hopes of his friends, and took him off in the twenty-second 
year of his age. 

^*My. John S7?iifk, another of Mr. Watkins's pupils, was a 
writer in the Magazine, of prose essays, chiefly on religious and 
moral subjects, and died of a decline about the same time. 

" Mr. Joh7i Canto7i, apprenticed to the above-named Mr. Wat- 
kins, and also his successor in his academy, was a contributor to 
the Magazine, of verses, and afterwards, of papers on philosophi- 
cal and mathematical subjects. The discoveries he made in Elec- 
tricity and Magnetism are well kno\^, and are recorded in the 
Transactions of the Royal Society, of which he afterwards be- 
came a member. 

"Rev. William Rider, bred in the same prolific seminary, was 
a writer in the Magazine, of verses signed Philargj/rus. He went 
from school to Jesus College, Oxford, and, some years after his 
leaving the same, entered into holy orders, and became sur-mas- 
ter of St. PauPs school, in which office he continued many years, 
but at length was obliged to quit this employment by reason of 
his deafness. [This industrious Divine was also Lecturer of St. 
Vedast, Foster Lane, Curate of St. Faith's, and was the author 
of a "History of England to the year 1763 inclusive," in fifty 
pocket volumes; a " Commentary on the Bible ;" an "English 
Dictionary;" and other works. He died March 30, 1785.] 

" Mr. Adajn Calamy, son of Dr: Edmund Calamy, an eminent 
Non-conformist Divine, and author of the Abridgement of Mr. 
Baxter's History of his Life and Times, was another of Mr. Wat- 
kins's pupils, that wrote in the Magazine ; the subjects on which 
he chiefly exercised his pen were essays in polemical theology 
and republican politics ; and he distinguished them by the as- 
sumed signature of A consistent Protestant. He was bred to the 
profession of an attorney, and was brother to Mr. Edmund Ca- 
lamy, a Dissenting teacher, of eminence for his worth and 
learning. 

"A seminary, of a higher order than that above mentioned, 
viz. the academy oi John Fames m Moor-fields, furnished the 
Magazine with a number of other Correspondents in mathema- 
tics and other branches of science and polite literature. This 
was an institution supported by the Dissenters, the design 
whereof was to qualify young men for their Ministry. Mr. Fames 
was formerly the Continuator of the Abridgement of the Philoso- 
phical Transactions begun by Jones and Lowthorp, and was a 
man of great knowledge, and a very able tutor. Under him 
were bred many young men who afterwards became eminently 
distinguished for learning and abilities ; among them were the 
late Mr. Parry, of Cirencester, the late Dr. Furneaux, and Dr. 
Gibbons ; and, if I mistake not, Dr. Price. The pupils of this 



Uv PREFACE. 

academy had heads that teemed with knowledge, which, as fast 
as they acquired it, they were prompted by a juvenile and laud- 
able ambition to communicate in letters to Mr. Urban. 

" The Rev. Samuel Peg ge [then resident in Kent], who, by an 
ingenious transposition of the letters of his name, formed the 
plausible signature oiPaul Gemsegey [After his removal into Der- 
byshire, he signed T. Row, the initials of *The Rector Of Whit- 
tington.' — This venerable Antiquary commenced his Correspond- 
ence with Mr. Cave in 1746, and continued it with his succes- 
sors till 1795. He died Feb. 14, 1796, at the advanced age of 92.] 

To this account of Cave's Correspondents Sir John Hawkins 
adds the names of Dr. Akenside ; Mr. Luck, of Barnstaple in De- 
vonshire; Mr. Henri/ Price, of Pool in Dorsetshire; Mr. Richard 
Yate, of Chively in Shropshire ; Mr. JoJm Rancks ; and that 
industrious and prolific genius, M.Y. John Lockman, 

To this list should also be added the unhappy Richard Savage ; 
and the ingenious but unfortunate Samuel Royse, of whom the fol- 
lowing melancholy particulars were related to the present Writer 
by Dr. Johnson, not long before his own death. 

" By addicting himself to low vices, among which were glut- 
tony and extravagance, Boyse rendered himself so contempt- 
ible and wretched, that he frequently was without the least sub- 
sistence for days together. After squandering away in a dirty 
manner any money which he acquired, he has been known to 
pawn all his apparel. Dr. Johnson once collected a sum of mo- 
ney to redeem his cloaths, which in two days after were pawned 
again. *'This," said the Doctor, " was when my acquaintances 
were few, and most of them as poor as myself. The money was 
collected by shillings." In that state he was frequently confined 
to his bed, sitting up with his arms through holes in a blanket, 
writing verses in order to procure the means of existence. It 
seems hardly credible, but it is certainly true, that he was more 
than once in that deplorable situation, and to the end of his life 
never derived any advantage from the experience of his past suf- 
ferings. Mr. Boyse translated well from the French ; but, if any 
one employed him, by the time one sheet of the work was done, 
he pawned the original. If the employer redeemed it, a second 
sheet would be completed, and the book again be pawned ; and 
this perpetually. He had very little learning ; but wrote verse 
with great facility, as fast as most would write prose. He was 
constantly employed by Mr. Cave, who paid him by the hundred 
lines, which, after a while, his employer wanted to make what is 
called the long hundred. — A late Collector of Poems (Mr. Giles) 
says, he was informed by Mr. Sandby the Bookseller, that this 
unhappy man at last was found dead in bed, with a pen in his 
hand, and in the act of writing, in the same manner as above 
described. This circumstance Dr. Johnson assured me was n«t 



PREFACE. Iv 

true; it being supposed that, in a fit of intoxication, he was 
run over by a coach ; at least, he was brought home in such a 
condition as to make this probable, but too far gone to give any 
account of the accident." 

Of Mr. Boyse's principal Poem, intituled, " The Deit}^," an 
account was sent to the Magazine; and although not inserted, it 
was probably the means of Boyse's first introduction to Cave, 
from whom he obtained some supplies for writing and translat- 
ing in that Miscellany between the years 1741 and 1743. The 
usual signature for his Poems was either Y. or Alc^us. 

When in a spunging-house in Gro^ers'-alley, in the Poultry, 
he wrote the following Letter to Cave, which was communicated 
by the late Mr. Astle to the late Dr. Kippis. 

^* Inscription for St. Lazarus' Cave. 

" Hodie, teste ccelo summo. 
Sine panno, sine nummo, 
Sorte positus infeste, 
Scribo tibi dolens mceste : 
Fame, bile tumet jecur, 
Urbane, mitte opem, precor ; 
Tibi enim cor humanum 
Non a malis alien um : 
Mihi mens nee male grata, 
Pro a te favore data. 
Ex gehenna debitoria, Alc^us." 

vulgo domo spongiatorid. 

" Sir, I wrote you yesterday an account of my unhappy case. 
I am every moment threatened to be turned out here, because 
I have not money to pay for my bed two nights past, which is 
usually paid before-hand, and I am loth to go into the Compter, 
till I can see if my affair can possibly be made up : I hope, 
therefore, you will have the humanity to send me half a guinea 
for support, till I finish your papers in my hands. — The Ode 
to the British Nation * I hope to have done to-day, and want 
a proof copy of that part of Stowet you design for the pre- 
sent Magazine, that it may be improved as far as possible from 
your assistance. Your papers are but ill transcribed. I agree 
with you respecting St. Augustine's Cave. I humbly entreat 
your answer, having not tasted any thing since Tuesday evening 
I came here ; and my coat will be taken off my back for the 

* The Ode on the British Nation, mentioned here, is a Translation from Van 

Haren, a Dutch Poet, from whose works he translated some other passages. 

f The '' part of Stowe" was a part of his Poem on Lord Cobham's Gardens. 



Ivi PREFACE. 

charge of the bed, so that I must go into prison naked, which is 

too shocking for me to think of. I am, with sincere regard, Sir, 
Your unfortunate humble servant,' S, BoYSE." 

Crown Coffee-house, Grocers- 
alley, Poultry, July 21, 1742. 
** I send Mr. Van Haren's Ode on Britain. 
"To Mr. Cave, at St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell. 
" July 21, 1742. Received from Mr. Cave the sum of half 

a guinea, by me, in confinement. S. Boyse." 

The greater number of the Poems which Boyse wrote for the 
Gentleman's Magazine during the years above mentioned, are 
re-printed in Mr. Alexander Chalmers's late Edition of the Eng- 
lish Poets ; but all his fugitive pieces were not written for the 
Magazine, some of them having been composed long before he 
had formed a connexion with Cave, and, as there is reason to 
believe, were sent in manuscript to such persons as were likely 
to make him a pecuniary return. Mr. Boyse died in May 1749. 



In 1754 a new sera in the publication of the Magazine com- 
menced, under the immediate guidance of Mr. David Henry, 
an ingenious young Printer, who in 1736 had married Mary, the 
Sister of Edward Cave ; and by him, in conjunction with Mr. 
Richard Cave, a Nephew of the original' Projector, the Maga- 
zine was jointly edited, printed, and published, at St. John's Gate. 

The new Firm continued to receive the countenance, and occa- 
sionally the assistance, of Johnson, and of many other of their 
Uncle's Literary Friends, to which were soon added the names of 
many new and highly-respectable Correspondents. 

Among these were some eminent Physicians ; particularly the 
well-known Sir John Hill; and the not less celebrated Dr. 
James, whose memory Dr. Johnson so handsomely eulogizes, 
as " having lengthened life," and who was the inventor of the 
matchless Fever-Powders that still bear his name. 

Mr. Christopher Smart was also a Contributor ; as was Mr. 
Ephraim Chambers ; and their mutual friend Mr. John Newbery, 
the truly-philanthropic projector of entertaining little books for 
the Juvenile Students, and who purchased a small share in the 
property of the Magazine, which still remains in his Family. 

Many other names might be added ; but it may be sufficient 
to mention Dr. John Hawkesworth, who wrote the Epitaph 
printed in p. xlix ; and who, in April 1765, superadded to the 
monthly list of books, which had been regularly given, at first 
his own concise, but valuable critical remarks, and afterwards a 
regular Review. 

In 1757 the Friends to the Magazine were thus addressed : 

*' To our Correspondents we impute our superiority, not only 



PREFACE. Ivii 

with pleasure, but with pride ; for we are more flattered by the 
contributions which we receive from others, than we could be 
by any success that might attend what was our own." 

This language, after an interval of more than sixty years, is 
equally applicable to the Magazine at the present day. 

In th^ Preface to the year 1761 is given an Epitome of the 
Contents contained in each Number of that Volume ; which 
was continued through twenty-three Volumes, with the excep- 
tion of the years 1774 and 1777 ; in the former of which is an 
interesting account of the rise of Humane Societies for the Reco- 
very of Persons apparently drowned. 

Mr. Richard Cave* died in December 1766; and in 1767 
the name of Francis Newbery (Nephew of the before-mentioned' 
Mr. John Newbery) appeared in the title-page f- 

On the death of Richard Cave, Mr. Henry relinquished 
the actual profession of a Printer ; and employed, as his 
agent at St. John's Gate, Mr. David Bond, who was so con- 
tinued till the end of 1778 — when, a considerable share of 
the Proprietorship having been purchased by the Writer of this 
Preface, the Magazine was for the next two years printed partly 
at St. John's Gate, and partly in Red Lion Passage, Fleet 
Street : but this arrangement having been found inconve- 

* The following Inscription, on a flat stone in the old church of St. James 
Clerkenwell, was written by Mr. Cave's worthy Friend and Partner David 
Henry, whose laudable exertions long supported and increased the original credit 
of what Mr. Burke styled ** one of the most chaste and valuable Miscellanies of 
the age." 

" Sacred to the memory 
' of Richard and Sarah Cave, 
late of St. John's Gate. 
He died December S, 1766; she, December 1776^ 

** Reader, if native worth may claim a tear. 
Or the sad tale of death affect thy ear. 
Heave from thy breast one sympathising sigh, 
Since here such fair examples mouldering lie. 
Here lies a pair, whom Honesty approv'd. 
In death lamented, and in life belov'd ; 
Who never meant a neighbour to offend ; 
Who never made a Foe, nor lost a Friend ; 
Whose only strife was who should act the best ; 
Whose only hope to rise among the blest. 
** In grateful remembrance of their many virtues and parental tender- 
ness, their only daughter has caused this small tribute to be erected to 
the memory of her dear Parents." 
Miss Mary Cave, the daughter above mentioned, an amiable and worthy 
woman, of elegant manners, died in June 1811. 

t Where it continued till his death in 178O. From that period till 1800 the 
Magazine was regularly published by his Widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Newbery; 
and since her relinquishing business, at the close of the Eighteenth Century, by 
the present respectable Bookseller, Mr. John Harris; with the addition, in 18 19, 
of his Son. 

VOL. III. h 



Iviii PREFACE. 

iiient, the printing was in 1781 entirely removed to Cicero's 
Head * 

The more important avocations of Dr. Havvkesworth (who 
had been elected an East India Director, and who was afterwards 
appointed by the Admiralty to be the Editor of Captain Cook's 
Voyages) having engrosed his whole attention ; the department 
of the Review of Books in the Magazine was readily undertaken, 
and for several years very creditably performed, by the Rev. 
John Duncombe, a Gentleman of great literary reputation, 
and highly estimable in every relation of life. Mr. Duncombe 
was also a valuable and regular Correspondent, both in the Mis- 
cellaneous and Poetical Departments; and furnished many of 
the introductory Prefaces, particularly that of 1780, from which, 
as peculiarly adapted to the present subject, an extract is given : 

" Half a century, a large proportion of the life of man, having 
now elapsed since we first engaged in the pleasing but arduous 
task of instructing and amusing, we think it expedient, for the 
convenience of our numerous readers, in some measure to com- 
plete this part of our Work, by subjoining a General Index to the 
last Thirty f, as has been done to the first Twenty Volumes ; but, 
as this will be a work of much labour, and will require great care 
and accuracy, our Readers cannot expect it to be hastily exe- 
cuted. Those who have complete Sets may then easily refer to 
any former volume, and those who chuse to begin de novo may 
consider the Gentleman's Magazine for January 1781, as the 
commencement of a new Work, which in due time will be closed 
in the same manner, with this material advantage over every new 
compilation, and indeed overall our Competitors, that our long- 
established reputation has procured us so many Friends and Cor- 
respondents in all parts of the British Dominions, that we have 
often reason to say, with the fanciful Poet of Sulmo, Inopes nos 
copia fecit, we are often at a loss what to adopt, and what to reject ; 
and, in general, instead of extracting honey, as at first, from the 
fugitive flowers and blossoms of the month, or poison (as is the 
manner of some) from the baneful hemlock of the day, have little 
more merit than the industrious Husbandman or Gardener, who 
sows good seed in his ground, and clears it from weeds and 
vermin. Our Biographical Memoirs have been generally es- 
teemed, and frequently copied. Our Antiquarian Researches 
have received a very flattering commendation ; and many other 
eulogiums might be mentioned that do us equal honour. But for 
the importance of the subjects discussed, we shall refer (as usual) 

* Where the Magazine continued regularly to be printed till March 1820 j 
when, for the convenience of printing the Votes of the House of Commons more 
expeditiously, the extensive Establishment of " Nichols'and Son, " as Printers 
and Booksellers, was removed to No. 25, Parliament Street, Westminster, 

t This was postponed till the ** Thirty '' became " Thirty-six.'' 



PREFACE. Ux 

to the principal contents of each month ; and shall conclude with 
observing-, that, instead of relaxing in our speed, the encourage- 
raent which we receive and gratefully acknowledge, and the ri- 
valry which our success has excited, shall only quicken our en- 
deavours to deserve the one, and to counteract the other." 

From the extensive literary connexions of the present Editor, 
the Correspondence with Mr. Urban so considerably increased, 
that a more ample field of action soon became indispensable, 
which at the end of 1732 was thus announced. 

** The Gentleman's Magazine is so well known, and the con- 
duct of it so generally approved, that room only is wanting to 
render our plan complete. We have the pleasing satisfaction to 
receive commendations from every quarter, with requests to 
enlarge our limits for the admission of favours, which the Vir- 
tuous and the Learned most liberally communicate, and which we 
with pain most unwillingly suppress. 

" Our Readers, we believe, will do us the justice to acknow- 
ledge, that no means have been left unattempted to make room 
for variety, nor a line left void that could be usefully filled. The 
chief complaints of our purchasers are the.smallness of the type, 
and the compression of the subjects. 

*' Among other inconveniences attending our narrow limits, 
not the least has been the unavoidable procrastination of the 
Parliamentary Debates. Those of the first Session are completed 
in the Supplement to the present Volume; the second Session 
shall be soon closed; and in future we shall be enabled to com- 
prise the whole within the year to which they immediately belong. 
*^ The great and important events of 1782 have been so various 
and diffuse, and have crowded upon us so copiously and rapidly, 
that, though we collected them with care, we were not able to 
arrange them with precision. Where all could not be admitted, 
the chain was necessarily broken; nor could it be resumed, as 
the same cause subsisted the second that obstructed the first ; 
and thus, month after month, in proportion as matter increased, 
room diminished, till at length we are overwhelmed with an ac- 
cumulation of various kinds, which we can no otherwise discharge 
than by enlarging our limits, and in consequence increasing our 
price. We may truly say that this is our last resort. Hardly 
any subject has escaped our retrenching hands; naked argument 
has been preferred to florid declamation ; bare facts to long de- 
tails : yet, with all our care, we have not been able to keep 
within our usual bounds." 

The new plan commenced in January 1783 ; and at the same 
time a considerable number of imperfect sets of the Magazine, 
then remaining at the old warehouse at St. John's Gate (of which, 
though no longer a Printing-office, Mr. Henry was still the pro- 



Ix PREFACE. 

prietor) ; it was determined to re-print a few copies of the early 
Volumes, and to continue the General Index ; and the following 
notification was accordingly given. 

'^ Though the reputation which the Gentleman's Magazine 
has maintained for more than Fifty Years renders all other re- 
conimendation unnecessary — yet that it was the first that laid 
the plan which has been followed by so many imitators ; that it 
is read and approved wherever the English language is under- 
stood ; and that the Learned of all nations are occasionally its 
correspondents, may, we hope, be urged as an additional proof of 
its intrinsic merit. 

" The inestimable value of a Periodical Work formed and 
continued for more than Half a Century, on the plan of the 
Gentleman's Magazine, if executed with tolerable accuracy, 
must be obvious to every man, conversant with the world, at first 
sight. In the wide range of Literature, there is not a subject that 
the most fertile genius can suggest, but must, in the course of so 
many years, come before the tribunal of the Publick to be dis- 
cussed, and consequently furnish materials for such a Work ; 
nor is there an invention, or a discovery of importance to the 
improvement of science, or the advantage of mankind, that does 
not serve to increase the same stock. 

" In the Work we now offer to the Publick, the original Com- 
piler is known to have made every thing that was new the first 
object of his care ; nor have those who succeeded him been less 
attentive. There has scarcely a new subject been started, a new 
invention introduced, or a discovery of any kind, either by land 
or sea, of which a satisfactory account is not to be found in the 
Gentleman's Magazine. 

" Nor are these the only materials of which the Compilers 
have availed themselves. The great controversial subjects, in 
which the Publick have borne a part, are all to be found impar- 
tially stated, whether respecting individuals, as Rundle, Hoadly, 
Canning, Blandy, Dodd, &c. &c. ; or those in which whole bo- 
dies of men, and even States, have been involved, as Churchmen 
and Dissenters, Britain and her Colonies, &c. To these may be 
added the lesser controversies that have arisen concerning the 
interpretation of doubtful passages in the Sacred Text, of which 
there is hardly one to be met with in Scripture that has not either 
been explained or elucidated. The mineral and fossil Kingdoms 
have likewise contributed largely to enrich this compilation ; 
and the rare productions which they exhibit, together with 
the obvious utility of maps, furnished the first hint for embel- 
lishing and illustrating it with copper-plates. 

" Other materials are, a profusion of Prescriptions in the Me- 
dical Art, so liberally interspersed, that there is scarcely a disease 
or disorder to which the human frame is subject, for which a re- 



PREFACE, Ixi 

medy is not to be found in the Gentleman's Magazine 5 in which 
likewise many of the most celebrated Nostrums are analysed, and 
the ingredients of which they are compounded laid open for the 
benefit of the publick. Extraordinary cases in Surgery likewise 
abound, which are not less interesting to the Faculty in general, 
than instructive to the young Practitioner. 

" The rudiments of almost every Science, as deduced from 
first principles, will also be found so clearly explained, that those 
who are bent on improvement, either in language or art, need 
no other tutor. Physics and Metaphysics are occasionally intro- 
duced ; Mathematical Questions resolved ; and the Phsenomena 
of Nature, according to the systems of antient and modern times, 
accounted for, and scientifically demonstrated. 

" The Antiquary who may purchase these Volumes will find 
materials sufficient to gratify the amplest curiosity. The Memo- 
rials of antient Families ; the Antiquities of particular Cities, 
Churches, and Monasteries ; the Topography of Provinces, Coun- 
ties, and Parishes; with the Laws, Customs, and Prescriptions 
peculiar to each, that are interspersed in these Volumes, are innu- 
merable. Nor will those who read for entertainment only have 
cause to regret their too scanty allotment. Affecting Narratives, 
interesting Stories, Novels, Tales, Poetry, and Plays, take up their 
full proportion of that room in which the whole is necessarily 
comprized. Add to these the Lives of Eminent Men, the recital 
of whose illustrious actions, at the same time that it fires the mind 
to virtuous emulation, cannot but fill it with the most refined plea- 
sure. Even those who have transmitted their memories with infamy 
to posterity, and who have rendered themselves notorious for acts of 
transcendant villainy, are not wholly excluded, but are recorded as 
examples of atrocious vice, to deter others from like enormities. 

'* But the materials of greatest National Concern remain still 
to be noticed. The Parliamentary Proceedings, during those 
periods in which the Debates in both Houses were carried on 
with the most spirited opposition, will be found amply recorded, 
and stated with the strictest regard to truth. By a curious in- 
spection, the gradations by which the National Debt has risen 
from the moderate sum of Sixteen Millions (the Debt due at the 
accession of the present Royal Family of Hanover to the Throne) 
to the enormous sum of Two Hundred and Twenty Millions, the 
Debt due at the end of 1782*, may be traced, and all the falla- 
cious pretences that have from time to time been urged by suc- 
cessive Ministers to increase it, developed. 

" The Revolutions that have happened in the Political Sys- 
tems of Europe, in the coarse of the period included in these 
Volumes, will be apt to bring to the Reader's mind the uncer- 

* The present amount of the National Debt (1821) is estimated at 835 millions! 



Ixii 



PREFACE. 



tainty of all human affairs. The Nations whose interests were 
thought to be inseparable, will be seen warring against each 
other; while those, on whose opposition the Balance of Power 
was thought to depend, are now connected in the closest amity ; 
nay, so strange are the vicissitudes which the short period of 
Fifty Years has produced, that neither the people on this side 
the Globe, nor the other, seem actuated or governed by the 
same political principles. 

'* Nor will this revolution in Politicks be found much more re- 
markable than the Revolution that has happened in Religion. 
From an abhorrence of Popery, which marked the Reigns of the 
two first Georges, the mild Reign of George the Third has set 
the example of Tolerance and Moderation to every Sect, and to 
the people of every persuasion. At the same time may be ob- 
served that lenient spirit spreading wide and far among Nations 
the most intolerant. Even the Pope himself has felt its influence. 

*' An attentive enquirer, enlightened by the means which these 
Volumes will furnish, will be able to trace the spring of all these 
Revolutions to its source; and will probably be inclined to con- 
clude, that the same Power that produced all these astonishing 
alterations, in the short period of Half a Century, will in time 
bring forth still greater changes, of which human foresight can 
have no conception. — To make this Work of the greater value 
to the Purchasers, no more than One Hundred Sets will be 
perfected by the Proprietors ; but a few single Volumes are 
printed over, to perfect the Sets of former Purchasers.'* 

The reprinting proceeded to the Twentieth Volume. 

The enlargement of the Magazine, which was most favourably 
received, was thus noticed, by the present Writer, in the Preface 
to the year 1783. 

*' Having now for a year experienced the advantages of our en- 
larged plan, our Readers, we flatter ourselves,\vi!l allow its ex- 
pediency. If our price is increased, so is our Volume in the 
same proportion, and by this means we have been enabled to 
admit many valuable communications, which must otherwise 
have been consigned to oblivion. And our example has been 
followed by much the oldest and most respectable of our com- 
petitors. Encouraged by the approbation that it has generally 
received, we are determined to pursue our plan with redoubled 
vigour, and doubt not that, though 

* Years following years steal something every day' 

from the pleasures and friendships of human life, they will add 
to the reputation and the friends which the Gentleman's Maga- 
zine has so long enjoyed. We have only to desire them to con- 
tinue their kind contributions, and to believe that though they 
may even now be sometimes unavoidably postponed, they will 



PREFACE. Ixiii 

not be omitted, unless for reasons of which they will allow us to 
be the judges, and then (if desired) they shall be returned." 

To the Volume for 1784 the Editor took the liberty of pre- 
fixing this sonnet : 

Urban, thy skill maturM by mellowing Time, 
Thy pleasing toil, thy well-conducted page, 
Through Britain's Realms, and many a Foreign Clime, 
Have charm'd the last, and charm the present age. 

Unnumber'd Rivals, urg'd by thy renown. 
To match thy useful labours oft have tried ; 

In vain they tried; unnotic'd and unknown, 
III cold Oblivion's shade they sunk, and died. 

Chear'd by the fostering beams of public praise, 

Continue still " to profit and delight * :" 
Whilst Learning all her ample store displays. 

Her " varying" charms at thy command ** unite f." 
Hence future Hawkesworths, Wartons, Grays, may sing, 
Where virtuous Johnson J plum'd his eagle wing. J. N. 

In the Preface to 1784 allusion is made to a plan (in the 
Number for September, p. 653) for an extensive "Repertory 
of Antiquity, or a Register of Communications, and Notices of 
Discoveries, of Matters as yet undescribed. Points as yet unex- 
plained, or not hitherto discussed, &c." A valuable descrip- 
tion of the 5or^5 o/" w?a^m<3/5 of which it should consist is then 
given ; which we are tempted to transcribe, as pointing out the 
nature of those communications which are now, as they were 
then, thought very desirable. 

" Notice and information of matters or things respecting an- 
tient topography, or geography ; of changes and alterations 
which the face of any country hath undergone in its mountains, 
rivers, ports, harbours, particularly, as far as may be collected 
from history, record, or tradition, or traced by any vestiges of an- 
tiquity ; of the drowning of any country; of eruptions; of 
countries becoming drained from failure of waters which before 
flooded them ; of the growing of soil, as marshes beyond the an- 
tient sea-shores and banks, or of fens within land ; the changes of 
the courses of rivers, and the apparent effect of them ; antient ac- 
counts of tides, where they differed from the present state of things. 

*' Accounts and information of the antient inhabitancy in its 
successive inhabitants, by colony or conquest; remains of their 

* " Prodesse et delectare." + " E pluribus unum." 

i To whom the Writer of these Lines had the pleasure of shewing them in 
the last interview with which he was honoured by this illustrious pattern of true 
piety. — ** Take care of your eternal salvation," and " Remember to observe the 
Sabbath; let it not be a day of business, nor wholly a day of dissipation j" were 
parts of his last solemn farewell. *' Let my words have their due weight," he 
added ; *' they are^those of a dying man." 



Ixiv PREFACE, 

mode of living and dwelling : Britons ; Scots ; Picts ; Saxons ; 
Anglo-Danes ; Normans ; their respective peculiarities as to the 
point of inhabitancy ; the progress and improvements in house- 
building, as to the materials and form ; remains of public dwel- 
lings and inhabitancy; Pictish, British, Roman, Saxon, Norman, 
Gothic, Moorish, or Arabesque, or of the beginnings of the intro- 
duction of the Grecian and Roaian architecture ; of pavings, tes- 
selated, brick, tile, plaster, or the introduction of wood-flooring ; 
of ceilings, and specimens or accounts ofantient painted ceilings 
or walls. 

" Specimens or accounts of antient furniture, worthy of notice, 
so far as it may tend to mark the change of manners, or the pro- 
gress of what is called Refinement and Fashion. 

" Specimens or accounts of clothing, cookery, brewery, con- 
fectionery, in general ; the table of medicines, which may tend 
to illustrate the changes and progression of customs, or may 
recall to memory any thing useful, which may have been lost, or 
disused from mere caprice and love of change, perhaps for the 
worse, of which many instances will occur, and some very mate- 
rial ones might here be specified. 

" Any thing which may recall to memory antient modes of 
farming in tillage or grazing, used and useful under former cir- 
cumstances of the country, and which, though now disusen, may 
become again useful, should the country, by loss of foreign trade, 
or oppression of taxes, and an emigration or decrease of inhabit- 
ants, fall back, in any degree, to its former state. 

" The antient modes of internal carriage, by land or by water ; 
therein of river and canal navigation from the time of the Romans. 
There is a curious clue by which this investigation may be car- 
ried back to much earlier times. Notices and information of 
marine carriage ; as also of the progress of marine architecture, 
and of the nature of the antient marine navigation. 

" All notices, or specimens, of antient mechanics, and mecha- 
nic trades and handicrafts ; antient tools (as, for one instance, 
how and when the chissel succeeded the adze in working stone) ; 
of antient machines, which, though now disused in practice, may 
not be wholly unuseful, at least to be known ; accounts of antient 
manufactures, and specimens of their fabrics. 

** Accounts, or any specimens, of the refined arts in jewellery, 
embroidery, knitting, and frame- weavi ng ; statuary, painting, 
and engraving ; particularly the illuminator's art. 

^* Antient musick ; psalmody; musical instruments ; poetry; 
and stage-plays. 

** Any thing which may give precedents or explanations of 
our constitution under the Saxons or Danes, or of the revival of 
jt in later times. 

*' State of our constitutional customs, and our modes of the 



PREFACE. IXV 

administration and execution of law, and in the usage and main- 
tenance of rights. The state of these matters as found in the 
law courts, and other jurisdictions, either general and pubHc, 
or peculiars of local courts, such as ampts, bailliages, loes, and 
other inferior leets and jurisdictions. Any accounts marking, at 
various periods, the state of our military, and our art of war; our 
arms, defensive and offensive ; our artillery, before and since the 
use of gunpowder. I should here mention our antient mode of 
fortification, but that Mr. King, in his very curious and very 
learned Dissertation on Antient Castles, has almost exhausted 
that subject. 

" Local and tovvn customs, antiently established, distinguish- 
ing those which were grounded in wise policy from those which 
are derived from the caprice of insolent fcedal despotism. 

" State, at various periods of time, of our internal trade, mar- 
kets, and marts ; of our external commerce and navigation ; 
places to which we traded ; manner in which such was conducted ; 
articles of such commerce in each place respectively. 

" Heraldry ; such as marks the alliances and descendants of 
our Sovereigns, which in part comes under the head of Diplo- 
matic Information ; such as marks the history of any family or 
person, having any reference to the clearing-up any point of 
history. 

"Notices of any materials which lie buried in unnoticed places 
of record, in the treasuries of courts, churches, chapters, or libra- 
ries ; materials which remain obscure and unnoticed in the seve- 
ral places of our public records. 

" Articles of biography, respecting the lives of men of any 
description ; of such who have been of any use during their lives, 
or by their works ; of men whose conductor fate in life recorded, 
may become useful examples, encouragement, or warning to 
others." 

It will not, we trust, be deemed presumptuous to say, that 
the Gentleman's Magazine has in a great measure fulfilled the 
prediction of the learned and ingenious Antiquary, and has proved 
itself ** one of the most useful Repositories of the species of 
knowledge above recommended, any where to be met with ; its 
pages having been always eagerly opened to facts, and observa- 
tions upon facts, respecting the History and Antiquities of our 
Country ; precedents and explanations of our ancient and glo- 
rious Constitution ; with useful discoveries of every kind." 

" But it is not to the Antiquary alone, however respectable, 
that the Editors have devoted their attention. The Philosopher, 
the Historian, the Physician, the Critic, the Poet, the Divine, 
and above all the Publick, have in turn shared the utmost ex- 
ertion of their abilities." 

In the Preface to 1785, instead of recapitulating the principal 

VOL. III. i 



Ixvi PREFACE. 

Contents of the Volume, a new plan was struck out, of intro- 
ducing an "Index Indicatorius;" or, an Explanatory Index of 
Papers, which our limits would not admit in the course of the 
preceding year ; and this Minor Correspondence was found so 
useful an addition to the Magazine, that it was soon after conti- 
nued monthly, instead of annually. 

By the death of the Rev. John Duncombe*, the Magazine 
lost a Correspondent, whose communications, in Biography, 
Poetry, and Criticism, during the last twenty years of his life, 
were frequent and valuable. Many of them are without a name ; 
but his miscellaneous communications are usually distinguished 
by the signature of Ckito. 

And this may be a proper place to mention the considerable 
assistance which the Magazine received from the kindness of 
Richard Gouonf, Esq. which cannot be better mentioned 
than in his own words : 

" He opened a correspondence with Mr. Urban in 1767, with 
an account of the village of Aldfriston in Sussex, under the sig- 
nature of D. H. ; which signature he retained to the last, but 
not altogether uniformly; nor is another signature in some later 
Volumes with the same letters to be mistaken for his. And on 
the death of his Fellow Collegian, Mr. Duncombe, in 1786, the 
department of the Review in that valuable Miscellany was, for 
the most part, committed to him. If he criticised with warmth 
and severity certajn innovations attempted in Church and State, 
he wrote his sentiments with sincerity and impartiality — in the 
fulness of a heart deeply impressed with a sense of the excellence 
and happiness of the English Constitution both in Church and 
State." 

On the 7th of May 1786, a considerable number of the 
Volumes of the Magazine, from 1781 inclusive, were unfortu- 
nately consumed by a Fire, which began in Ludgate Street, 
and extended its ravages to Mrs. Newbery's dwelling-house 
and warehouse, in St. Paul's Church-yard. 

The Two Volumes of a General Index, from 1731 to 1786 
inclusive, were published in 1789. They were compiled by a 
laborious and worthy Divine, .the Rev, Samuel Ayscough, many 
years Assistant Librarian in the British Museum, where his 
multifarious labours, more particularly in arranging and cata- 
loguing the undescribed Manuscripts, the very numerous and 
scarce single Tracts, and especially the many original Charters, 
will long bear testimony to his uncommon industry. He died 
Oct. 30, 1804, in his 59th year J. 

• This worthy Divine died January 1 8, 1786. See Vol. LXVI. p. 85. 
t This not less respectable Correspondent, and benevolent Friend, died 
Feb. 20, 1809. See Vol. LXXIX. pp. igo, IQS. 

% See his Epitaph, with a Portrait of him, in General Index, Vol. V. p. yiii. 



PREFACE. Ixvii 

In 1789, a copious and accurate Diary was given of his late 
Majesty's Visit to Weymouth and Plymouth ; as were also, in 
subsequent years, of the Sovereign's various Excursions to Wey- 
mouth, Portland, Portsmouth, Cheltenham, Worcester, Hartle- 
bury, &c. ; from which some future Historian of Royal Progresses 
may find some useful materials ; or some future necromantic Ro- 
mancer (if another Sir Walter Scott should arise) may dilate on the 
Princely Pleasures of Weymouth, and its delightful Vicinity. 

In 1790 Mr. Urban thus addressed his Readers : 

" On the completion of a Sixtieth Volume, we may again be 
allowed to make the most grateful acknowledgments for that 
succession of favour, which has so long enabled us to stand con- 
spicuous in the foremost rank of Monthly Journalists. 

" We assume no merit beyond that of being the brief, but 
faithful, reporters of the Chronicle of the Times; and of select- 
ing from the variety of excellent contributions which we receive 
what, in our best judgment, we think most conducive to the gene- 
ral fund of public entertainment and instruction. It is to our 
correspondents that the Reader is principally indebted for the 
valuable materials with which our pages are constantly filled, by 
Writers of the first eminence. 

" Useful inventions and improvements in all branches of 
science, and even the record of unsuccessful projects, have regu- 
larly been registered in our Miscellany. The admirers of Bio- 
graphy, which has become a favourite amusement of the present 
age, will find here the most copious stores of information ; and 
that very frequently in the truest picture that can be given, by 
the genuine Letters of such eminent characters as best deserve 
to be perpetuated. The Natural Historian, the Antiquary, the 
Philosopher, and the Studious in Polite Literature of every de- 
scription, may also meet with their favourite object of research, 
and mutually give and receive that instruction which we are 
proud of being the instruments of conveying to public notice. 

" In Politicks, the present year has been pregnant with events 
of the highest importance both to Church and State ; and those 
it has been our study to detail with the strictest impartiality. 
And in this Volume, we may confidently assert, will be found a 
satisfactory narrative of the proceedings of the National Assem- 
bly of France, and of that ever-memorable Federation, which an 
elegant Female Writer, who went to Paris on purpose to be a 
spectator of it, calls ' the most sublime Spectacle that ever was 
represented on the Theatre of the Earth.' 

When the preceding extract was written no reasonable man 
could have contemplated the lamentable proceedings which so 
speedily followed the dawnings of happiness in France, by the 
total demolition, not only of the visionary fabrick which had 
been erected, but of the very Government itself, and of all that 
was sacred and venerable. 



Ixviii PREFACE. 

The change was duly noticed in the Preface of 1791 : 
" That the Sixty-first Volume of the Gentleman's Magazine 
meets the public eye, at the close of the year 1791, survivor to 
so many of its Contemporaries, is acknowledged with every grate- 
ful sentiment by the Compiler, whom it encourages to flatter 
himself, that, out of the heterogeneous mass of matter that offers 
itself to his ingenuity, he has served up some dishes at least suit- 
able to the various palates of his Readers. 

''When the world around him is in confusion ; when 'the na- 
tions rage, and the people imagine a vain thing, the Kings of 
the earth set themselves, and the Princes take counsel together;' 
with astonishment and an impartial eye he sees the absurd doc- 
trine of the Rights of Man, and of turning loose into a state of 
equality men who have no more idea of liberty than infants have 
of being left to go alone, or are no more to be trusted than the 
tenants of Bedlam or Newgate. For of this axiom he is firmly 
convinced, that the torpid Greenlander, the indolent Turk, the 
placid Hindoo, the ferocious Cossack, and the stupid Negro, the 
more flippant Frenchman, and the self-sufficient Chinese, have 
not the same idea of liberty, or the same talents for using or 
improving it, with his brave and generous Countrymen ; — con- 
sequently, all men are not equal in their natural or acquired 
advantages. He considers too, that it is not the obtruding of 
private opinions or vagaries, whether by secret or open artifice, 
that will weary a whole people out of their received and well- 
founded sj^stems, to which they are convinced no better can be 
substituted. In giving his sentiments on these topicks with free- 
dom, he has borne his testimony as a true friend to the Consti- 
tution of his Country, which, he hopes and prays, will not be 
subverted, or even shaken, at the caprice of every visionary, or 
the clamours of every incendiary. 

'* It is the glory of the Gentleman's Magazine to be founded 
on true Protestantism and true Patriotism, superior to the cla- 
mours of the day, whether extorted by mistaken humanity, mis- 
guided faith, or interested policy. Thus its Conductor condemns 
the total and instantaneous abolition of the Slave Trade, and 
thinks himself warranted by the horrors of St. Domingo ; he de- 
precates such a Revolution as has happened in France, when he 
contemplates the successors to the first National Assembly, the 
miseries of the bulk of emancipated Twenty-five millions, who 
have more liberty than they know what to do with, and the rapid 
approaches of a civil war; and, sincerely as he commiserates 
the sufferers by riot and outrage in his own Country, he feels and 
laments, that they brought their sufferings on themselves, and 
persist in their attempts to provoke them with unrelenting 
resentment. 

" So much for the speculations which administer (we heartily 
wish the term could be avoided) fuel to controversy, religious or 



PREFACE. Ixix 

political : but we may surely be allowed to claim a merit from 
endeavouring to damp, if we cannot extinguish, the fire ; and to 
hope for the concurrence of good men of all denominations, in- 
spired by genuine Christian Charity and Peace." 

In 1792 the subject was thus resumed : 

" The Editor of the Gentleman's Magazine contemplates the 
completion of its Sixty-second Volume with delight and gratitude. 
This delight and this gratitude is the more increased from the 
recollection, that the competitors for the favours of the publick 
become every day more and more numerous ; he has, therefore, 
the greater reason to be satisfied that his well-meant endeavours 
retain, what they ever have been exerted to deserve, their proper 
share of the public countenance and esteem. 

*' We have yet again lived to see turbulent and perilous times ; 
but we do not fear that we shall still continue to behold the solid 
good sense of Englishmen dispel the mists of sophistry and vain 
philosophy ; we still hope to know that vice and folly can never 
triumph over virtue and wisdom ; and we are fully convinced 
that the blessings and advantages of the British Constitution are 
as permanent in themselves, and as equally diffused, as the in- 
firmities of human kind will warrant, or its reasonable faculties 
enjoy. 

" To the Constitution, they whose labours are devoted to the 
Gentleman's Magazine have ever been firm, consistent, and sys- 
tematic friends : we may defy those who have been most envious 
of our success to prove, that we have in any instance deviated 
from the integrity of Englishmen, to favour any prejudices of any 
party, at the expence of our general duty to the publick. To 
this conduct we shall adhere with steady perseverance, uninflu- 
enced, and unintimidated. We stand on the firm base of our 
Countrymen's good opinion ; and we well know they will never 
remove us from it as long as we shall continue to vindicate their 
true and proper interests. 

" We are compelled also to avow the melancholy truth, that 
we have beheld the cause of Religion, and consequently the best 
hopes of man, audaciously attacked by some, and insidiously 
undermined by others. In this respect we may venture to claim 
to ourselves some portion of applause. We have been vigilant 
in counteracting these attacks, in whatever form, and from what- 
ever quarter, they came ; being well assured that we could not 
better serve or promote the genuine happiness of our fellow- 
beings, than by averting all contamination from those springs, 
which, rising in the First Principles of Things, are to terminate 
only in Eternity." 

One more extract shall be given as it expresses the sentiments 
of the present Writer in 1794 : 

** Again the period returns, when with honest exultation we 



IXX PREFACE. 

acknowledge that uniform patronage, which for sixty-four years 
we have thankfully experienced ; and which, though it may be 
difficult to find words that will vary the expressions of gratitude, 
is now acknowledged with the truest sensibility of the obligation. 

" The unparalleled events of the past year have crowded on 
each other with such rapidity, and form such a memorable epoch 
in the historic page, that we look back with astonishment on the 
stupendous facts which we have recorded ; facts which have set 
at defiance the most profound speculations of the politician, and 
such as the most visionary projector could not dare to have pre- 
dicted. We forbear to dwell on the painful recital of slaugh- 
tered armies ; or on other and still more afflicting devastations 
of cruelty, where the numerous victims were either of the softer 
sex, or, from infancy or age, unable to resist the ferocity of 
their assailants. Whatever may be the termination, these are 
events which stamp an indelible disgrace on the perpetrators ; 
of whom very many have in their tarns already expiated their 
crimes under the hands of public justice; and that in such a 
rapid succession as must astonish the most inattentive observer. 
Having felt it our duty to relate with fidelity these melancholy 
events as they have arisen ; we look to the Great Disposer of 
Events, in humble hope that the signal mercies which have 
hitherto attended this favoured Country, may long be continued 
to it. Happily preserved by our insular situation from the more 
immediate scene of War ; may we be truly sensible of the bles- 
sing ; and may our inestimable Constitution long remain impreg- 
nable to the attacks of every assailant, and be transmitted invio- 
late to the latest posterity ! Wishing most sincerely to draw a 
veil over whatever might tend to keep open dissentions which we 
hope are now for ever closed ; it will be sufficient to recall to 
recollection the excellence of our Laws, and the purity with 
which they are administered. — The Reader will pardon this effu- 
sion, not wholly undigressive. 

" To our numerous and very learned Correspondents we have 
to pay those thanks which their own ingenuous hearts will dic- 
tate to them in the warmest terms, without over-rating our sen- 
timents. To them alone it is owing that the Gentleman's Maga- 
zine has so long preserved its Literary Reputation. Their con- 
tributions unite to form an aggregate of entertainment and in- 
struction. With pride and Pleasure we look round to some of 
the brightest ornaments of Church and State — to the Bar, the 
Pulpit, and the Senate — and see in every department names of 
the first distinction who have sent their early shafts from our 
Ulysses's Bow, And it is with conscious satisfaction we reflect 
that, whenever the impetuosity of controversy has led our Cor- 
respondents to a greater degree of warmth than cooler prudence 
may have suggested, our columns have ever been open to the 



PREFACE. Ixxi 

vindication of every person who lias thought himself aggrieved ; 
and in some cases even to an insertion of a direct attack upon 
ourselves. Let this, however, be a hint to our friends, not to 
indulge too freely in the satiric vein. We wish to hold out an 
olive-branch both in Literature and Politicks; and that an ar- 
mistice may take place in the territories of Mr. Urban, even if it 
should fail on the Continent of Europe. 

** In one department of our Miscellany it is not arrogant to 
assert, that we stand unrivalled. The Obituary forms a Body 
of Biography, which posterity will look back to with a satisfac- 
tion which any one may conceive who for a moment considers 
the defects of similar annals in preceding periods. In this 
branch of our labours, we have to acknowledge the assistance of 
many friends. At the same time we request those who in future 
may be inclined to favour us with intelligence of this kind to 
confine themselves in general to dates and facts, and to avoid 
expatiating on that which, -arising from circumstances of private 
knowledge, or a local nature, may serve equally for thousands, 
as the favourite individual to whom it is promiscuously applied. 

" The most difficult part of our task remains ; an apology to 
those who may feel hurt at their productions not appearing in 
print. To such we can only say, that, in cases where articles 
are wholly improper^ we regularly point them out ; but that all 
others are intended to be used, till the press of fresh correspond- 
ence becomes so great, that, large and crowded as our pages are, 
and small as is our type, we are often unable to find room for 
what we estem truly valuable. We have, therefore, to request 
indulgence on this head ; and to beg that our friends will be as 
concise as the subject will admit, and avoid, wherever they can, 
superfluous controversy. We consider ourselves as caterers for 
the publick ; and wishing, to the best of our abilities, to furnish 
them with instruction and delight, we trust they will give us 
credit for endeavouring at least to perform our task with impar- 
tiality, and with some of the advantages obtained from long 
experience.*' 

After this period, the Prefaces have for the most part been 
the productions of more able Writers; but these, as some of 
them are still living ornaments of the present age, it would be 
impertinent to particularize, though the mention of two deceased 
Friends, Mr. Gough and Mr. Beloe, it would be unpardonable 
to conceal. It may safely, however, be said, that their general 
and constant tenour, in the stormy events of a most eventful 
period, has been to inculcate the purest principles of Religion 
and Morality ; and to inculcate a due reverence for the Consti- 
tuted Authorities in Church and State, as settled by Magna 
Charta, and confirmed by the glorious Revolution of 1688. 

In 1792 the present Writer had occasion to lament the loss of 



Ixxii PREFACE^ 

his old and excellent Friend, Mr. Henry, his very able associate in 
the Magazine, of which he was the principal Proprietor*, and 
of whom in this place some notice seems necessary. 

Mr. David Henry was born in the neighbourhood of Aber- 
deen, in 1710, which place he left at the age of fourteen ; and, 
coming to London, became connected with Edward Cave, whose 
sister (as stated in p. Ivi) he married in 1736 ; and began busi- 
ness at Reading, where he established a provincial Paper for the 
use of that town, and of Winchester, where he had likewise a 
Printing-office. In 1754 his name was used in the Magazine, 
as partner with Richard Cave (see p. Ivi.) at St. John's 
Gate, where he continued to reside for many years with great 
reputation : and he possessed the freehold property of the 
Gate and its appurtenances at the time of his death. Besides 
taking an active part in the management of the Magazine 
for more than half a century, Mr. Henry's separate lite- 
rary labours were such as do credit to his judgment and in- 
dustry. The only printed Volume that we recollect, which 
bears his name, was a compilation, while he lived at Reading, 
under the patronage of Dr. Bolton, Dean of Carlisle, entitled, 
*' Twenty Discourses — abridged from Archbishop Tillotson, 
&c." of which a second edition was published in 1763, and a 
fourth in 1779. Those useful and popular publications which 
describe the Curiosities of Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, and 
the Tower, &c, were originally compiled by Mr. Henry, and 
were improved by him through many successive impressions. 
He wrote also, " The Complete English Farmer, or a Practical 
System of Husbandry," a science which he cultivated on his 
farm at Beckenham in Kent ; and " An Historical Account of 
all the Voyages round the World, performed by English Navi- 
gators," 1774,4 vols. 8vo ; to which he afterwards added two 
more, including Captain Cook's Voyages ; all remarkable for 
being comprehensive, perspicuous, and accurate. He was a man 
of sound understanding, well acquainted with the literary history 
of his time, and agreeably communicative of what he knew. 

In the Magazine for 1792, is a Letter signed N. L. L. (I forget 
from whom) in which are several particulars respecting Mr. 
David Henry and his various Publications. 

In January 1794, soon after the death of the celebrated Mr. 
Gibbon, a letter from that elegant Historian was printed in the 
Magazine, vol. LXIV. p. 5, in which he strongly advised the 
Writer of this Preface to publish a Selection of the many im- 
portant articles of the Magazine. From other numerous and 
pressing avocations, Mr. Nichols never had the opportunity of 
availing himself of this friendly hint ; but the idea was afterwards 

* Mr. Henry's shares in the Magazine became the property of his Widow ; 
and are still possessed by her Family. 



iTREFACE. Ixxiii 

adopted, and successfully acted upon, by a Gentleman of the 
University of Oxford. 

In 1799, in consequence of a considerable advance in the duties 
on paper, imposed by Parliament, and at the same time a consi- 
derable increase in the price of labour, the Proprietors of the 
Magazine were under the necessity of raising the price to 
eighteen pence; and in 1809 to two shillings. 

The Preface to the year 1800, written by Mr. Gough, on oc- 
casion of the conclusion of the Eighteenth Century, is well wor- 
thy of particular notice. In it is given a list of the Sovereigns 
who flourished during the course of the Century ; and in a curious 
supplementary article in Feb. 1803, Mr. Gough drew up, with 
great attention, a List of such departed Worthies as had effec- 
tually served their Country in Church and State, or distin- 
guished themselves in Literature or in Arms, arranged under 
the heads of "Ministers and Statesmen, Stateswomen ; Lawyers, 
Judges ; Warriors, Admirals and Seamen ; Learned Divines of the 
English and Irish Church, Dissenters, and Foreigners ; Historians, 
Antiquaries, Writers, Critics, Grammarians, Poets, Mathema- 
ticians, Painters, Architects, Statuaries, Engravers, Printers, 
Letter-founders, Wood-cutters, Travellers, Physicians, Sur- 
geons and Chemists, Botanists and Gardeners, Naturalists, 
Actors, and Musicians." 

On the night of Feb. 8, 1808, a calamitous event (at which the 
present Writer still trembles whilst recording it) in a few short 
hours demolished the accumulated stock of half a century. His 
extensive printing-office and warehouses, with their valuable 
contents, were rapidly consumed ; and, amongst other articles 
of still more intrinsic literary as well as pecuniary interest, were 
the unsold Numbers of the Gentleman's Magazine, from 1783 
to 1807 ; with the exception of a very few copies, which were 
in the Publisher's warehouse; and so fiercely did the Fire rage, 
that many hundred copper-plates (and amongst them those of 
the Magazine) were totally spoiled, and some actually melted. 

From this period * is to be dated the " New Series " of the 
Magazine ; which may still be regularly had, or almost any single 
Number, at Messrs. Harris and Son's, in St. Paul's Church-yard. 

Of the very numerous Engravings which embellish the Maga- 
zines (not less than two thousand, exclusive of the Wood-cuts) 
it may be sufficient to refer the Reader to a slight account of 
them in an Advertisement prefixed to the " Complete List of 
the Plates and Wood-cuts in the Gentleman's Magazine, and 
Index thereto," which forms the Fifth Volume of these General 
Indexes ; and for which the Publishers are highly indebted to 
its ingenious Compiler, Charles St. Barbe, jun. Esq. F. S. A. 

* Earlier Volumes, or single Numbers, arc occasionally to be had from various 
Booksellers, by whom they are treasured whenever they arc found in Libraries. 
VOL. in. ' k 



Ixxiv 



PREFACE. » 



*^* In the preceding pages the names have been enumerated 
of some of the earliest Correspondents of the Magazine ; and it is 
with equal pride and pleasure that the following List is subjoined 
of Contributors of a later date, formed principally from a 
7nemonter recollection of departed Friends and Patrons — and 
which might be most considerably enlarged, were the pages of 
the different Volumes turned over for that particular purpose. 



William Alexander, Esq. 

George Allan, Esq. Darlington. 

Rev. Richard Amner. 

Mr. Henry Andrews, Astrologer. 

James Pettit Andrews, Esq. 

Rev. George Ashby. 

Thomas As tie, Esq. 

Benjamin Aylett, Esq. Surgeon. 

Sir Joseph Ayloffe, Bart. 

Rev. Samuel Ayscough. 

John Bacon, Esq. First Fruits Office. 

John Bacon, Esq. Architect. 

Rev. Dr. Phanuei Bacon. 

Rev. Samuel Badcock. 

Chambers Hyde Badger, Esq. 

Mr. William Baker, Reading. 

Rev. Roger Baldwin. 

Rev. Dr. Thomas Balguy. 

Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. 

Thomas Barker, Esq. Lyndon. 

Rev. Stephen Barrett. 

Mr. William Barrett, Bristol. 

Mr. Thomas Barritt, Manchester. 

Hon. Daines Barrington. 
Mr. Benjamin Bartlett. 

Rev. Julius Bate, Deptford. 

John Baynes, Esq. 

Rev. Dr. Osmund Beauvoir. 

Mr. Thomas Beckwith, York. 

Rev. William Beloe. 

Dr. W. Bennet, Bishop of Cloyne. 

Rev. James Bentham. 

Mr. Samuel Bentley, Uttoxeter. 

Mrs. Eliza Berkeley. 

John Berkenhout, M. D. 

Sir Thomas Bernard, Bart. 

William Bernard, Esq. 

Rev. William Bickerstaffe, Leicester. 

Ralph Bigland, Esq. Garter, 
^ Rev. George Bingham. 

John Birch, Esq. Surgeon. 

Rev. Samuel Bishop. 

Dr. Robert Bisset. 

Rev. F. Blackburne, Archdeacon. 

Mr. Thomas Bland, of Norwich 
(A Friend to Accuracy J 



Rev, Dr. Benjamin Blayney. 

Mr. Richard Bond, Gloucester. 

William Boscawen, Esq. 

James Boswell, Esq. 

Rev. Jonathan Boucher. 

Rev. John Bowie, Idmiston. 

John Bowles, Esq. 

Rev. St. George Bowles. 

Mr. W. Bowyer, (learned Printer). 

William Boys, Esq. Sandwich. 

Abraham Bragge, Esq. Surgeon. 

Rev. John Brand, Sec. A. S. 

Rev. John Brand, Southwark. 

Edward Bridgen, Esq . 

Richard Brocklesby, M. D. 

John Charles Brooke, Esq. Herald. 

Alderman T. Broster, Chester. 

John Hawkins Browne, Esq. 

Jacob Bryant, Esq. 

William Buchan, M. D. 

Mr. Joseph Buckmaster, Lambeth. 

Joseph Budworth, Esq. afterwards 

Palmer fA RamblerJ. 
William Burdon, Esq. 
Rev. Dr. And, Burnaby, Archdeacon. 

Rev. Dr. Charles Burney. 

Sir William Burrell, Bart. 

Mr. E. Burton fRiiben D'MoundtJ. 

Rev. Thomas Butler, Child Ockford. 

Rev. William Dejovas Byrche. 

John Cade, Esq. Gainford, Durham. 

Hon. and Rev. W.Bromley Cadogan. 

Rev. Dr. John Calder. 

Sir John Call, Bart. 

Dr. John Carr, Hertford. 

Francis Carter, Esq. 

Mr. John Carter, Architect. 

Mr. George Saville Cary. 

Tiberius Cavallo, Esq. 

Rev. William Chafin, Chettle. 

Mr. James Chalmers, Aberdeen. 

Mrs. Chapone. 

John Charnock, Esq. 

William Chisholme, Esq. 

Thomas Christie, Esq. 

Rev. Edward Clarke, Buxted. 



PREFACE. 



Ixxr 



Rev. William Clarke, Chichester. 

Rev. Charles Coates. 

Thomas Cogan, M. D. 

Rev. Dr. Thomas Coke. 

Charles Nalson Cole^ Esq. 

Rev. William Cole, Mliton. 

William Collins, Esq. Greenwich. 

Michael Collinson, Esq. 

Peter Collinson, Esq. 

Thomas Collinson, Esq. 

Patrick Colquhoun, LL.D. 

John Coltman, Esq. Leicester. 

Charles Combe, M. D. 

Rt. hon. W. Burton Conyngham. 

Rev. William Cooke. 

Rev. Oliver St. John Cooper. 

Rev. George Costard. 

Mrs. Cowley. 

William Cowper, Esq. the Poet. 

J. Crane, M.D.Wells. 

Rev. Sir Herbert Croft, Bart. 

Rev. Sir John Cullum, Bart. F. R.S. 

Richard Cumberland, Esq. 

William Cuming, M. D. 

Mr. William Cuningham. 

Mr. William Curtis, Botanist. 

Mr. Emanuel Mendez Da Costa. 

Alexander Dalrymple, Esq, 

David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes. 

Richard Dalton, Esq. 

Erasmus Darwin, M. D. 

Mr. Lockyer Davis. 

Mr. Thomas Davies. 

Mr. Benjamin Dawson, Bath. 

Rev. C. E. De Coetlogon. 

Lieut. -colonel De la Motte. 

John Louis De Lolme. 

Rev. Samuel Denne ( U\ and D.) 

Rev. Dr. John Disney. 

Rev. Dr. Philip Doddridge. 

Josiah Dornford, LL. D. 

Rev. James Douglas. 

Dr. John Douglas, Bp. of Sahsbury. 

John Dovaston, Esq. 

Hugh Downman, M. D. 

Rev. Wm. Drake, Isleworth. 

Matthew Duane, Esq. 

Andrew Coltee Ducarel, D. C. L. 

Mrs. S. Duncombe, Canterbury. 

Rev. Charles Dunster. 

Rev. Lewis Dutens. 

Rev. Henry Dimock, Hebraist. 

Mr. Edward Easton, Salisbury. 

Bryan Edwards, Esq. 

John Elderton, Esq. Bath. 



Mr. Deputy Ellis. 

Peter Elmsly, Esq. 

Mr. Hem-v Emlyn, Architect. 

Rev. Dr. Wm. Enfield. 

Mr. James Essex, Architect. 

Rev. Edward Evanson. 

Francis Eyre, Esq. 

Rev. Dr. Richard Farmer, 

J. Feltham, Esq. 

Sir John Fenn. 

John Forbes, Esq. Stanmore. 

Mr. Theodosius Forrest. 

Rev. Benjamin Foi-ster, Boconnoc. 

Edward Forster, Esq. Walthamstow. 

John Reinhold Forster, LL. D. 

William Forsyth, Esq. Kensington. 

John Fothergill, M. D. 

Anthony Fothergill, M. D. 

Mr. Richard Fowke, Elmesthorpe. 

Rev. Dr. Thomas Francklin. 

Dr. Benjamin Franklin. 

Rev. Dr. John Free. 

Fielding Best Fynney, Esq. 

Rev. Robert Burd Gabriel. 

Rev. Dr. Alexander Geddies. 

Edward Gibbon, Esq. the Historian. 

Rev. Dr. Andrew GifFard. 

Rev. Richai'd Gifford, Duffield. 

Rev. William Gilpin. 

Rev. Dr. Samuel Glasse. 

Rev. George-Henry Glasse. 

Richard Glover, Esq. 

Rev. Edward Goodwin, Sheffield. 

Rev. Dr. John Gordon, Lincoln. 

Rev. Dr. Isaac Gosset. 

Rev. William Gostling, Canterbury. 

Foote Gower, M. D. 

Rev. James Granger, 

Rev. Richard Graves. 

Rev. Stephen Greenaway. 

Edward Burnaby Greene, Esq. 

Mr. Richard Greene, Lichfield. 

Rev. Francis Gregory. 

Rev. Dr. George Gregory. 

Mr. Samuel H. Grimm, Artist. 

Captain Francis Grose. 

William Grove, Esq. LL.D. 

Rev. Philip Hacket. 

Sir William Hamilton, K. B. 

Jonas Han way, Esq. 

Hon. Mr. Justice Hardinge. 

Mr. E. Hargrove, Knaresborough. 

Robert Harrington, M. D. 

John Harriott, Esq. 

David Hartley, Esq. 



Ixxvi 



PREFACE. 



Rev. Dr. Edward Harwood. 

Edward Hasted, Esq. Kent. 

William Hawes, M. D. 

Sir John Hawkins. 

Mr. B. B. Hayden, Plymouth. 

William Hayley, Esq. 

Rev. Henry Headley ( T. C. 0.) 

Rev. Dr. Ralph Heathcote. 

William Heberden, M. D. 

Mr. John Hedger. 

Rev. John Henderson, Oxford. 

Rev. Dr. Samuel Henley. 

Mr. John Henn, Appleby School. 

Rev. Samuel Henshall. 

Rob. Henson, Esq. Bainton House. 

Mr. Wm. Herbert, Cheshunt. 

John Herrick, Esq. Beaumanor Park. 

Joseph High more, Esq. 

John Hinckley, Esq. 

Thomas Ford Hill, Esq. 

Francis Hiorne, Esq. Warwick. 

Rev. Henry Hodgson, M. D. LL.D. 

Rev. Richard Hole. 

John Holliday, Esq. Lincoln's Inn. 

Rev. Edward Holmes. 

Rev. Dr. Robert Holmes. 

Mr. John Holt, Liverpool. 

Rev. Henry Homer. 

John Hoole, Esq. 

Dr. G. Home, Bp. of Norwich. 

Dr. S. Horsley, Bp. of St. Asaph. 

John Howard, Esq. Philanthropist. 

Rev, James Hurdis. 

William Hutchinson, Esq. Durham. 

William Hutton, Esq. Birmingham. 

William Jackson, Esq. Canterbury. 

Edward Jacob, Esq. Faversham. 

Rev. Richard Jago. 

Rev. T. Jeffreys. 

David Jennings, Esq. Hawkhurst. 

Mr. Joseph Jennings. 

Edward Jerningham, Esq. 

Rev. Robert Ingram. 

Thomas Johnes, Esq. Hafod. 

Rev. Edward Jones, Loddington. 

Rev. John Jones. 

Rev. W. Jones, Nayland. 

Sir William Jones. 

Mr. J.Jordan, Stratford-upon-Avon. 

Edward Ironside, Esq. 

John Ives, Esq. 

George Keate, Esq. 

Robert Kelham, Esq. 

Rev, Dr. Benjamin Kennicott. 

Rev. Dr. Andrew Kippis. 



Thomas Kirkland, M. D. 

Mrs. Mary Knowles, Fair Quaker. 

Mr. John Knox, Bookseller. 

Rev. John Kynaston. 

Rev. Thomas Langley. 

Bennet Langton, Esq. 

The Most Noble William Petty, the 

first Marquis of Lansdown. 
Mr. J. Laskey, Crediton. 
William Latham, M,D. 
Freach Laurence, D. C. L. 
Rev. Francis I^eighton. 
Mr. Henry Lemoine. 
John Coakley Lettsom, M. D. 
Sir Ashton Lever. 
Mr. David Levi. 
Rev. Dr. Lickorish, Hockley. 
Rev. John Lightfoot. 
Rev. Theophilus Lindsey. 
Mr. Robert Loder, Woodbridge. 
Edward Long, Esq. Jamaica. 
Mr. Barak Longmate. 
Dr. J. Lorimer. 
Rev. Dr. Michael Lort. 
Dr. Robert Lowth, Bp. of London. 
John Loveday, Esq. Caversham. 
JohnLoveday, D.C.L. (Antiquarius, 

Acodemicus, and Scrutator J. 
Rev. Thomas Ludlam. 
Rev, William Ludlam. 
Rev. John Lyon, Dover. 
Samuel Lysons, Esq. 
Dr. Charles Lyttelton, Bp. of Exeter. 
Rev. Aulay Macaulay, Vicar of 

Rothley (Clericus Leicestrensis.J 
Rev. Dr. Archibald Maclaine. 
Dr. S. Madan, Bp. of Peterborough. 
J. Hyacinth de Magelhaens, Esq. 
Mr. James Peller Malcolm. 
Edmund Malone, Esq. 
The Abb^ Mann, Brussels. 
Rev. Owen Manning. 
Dr. W. Lort Mansel, Bp. of Bristol. 
Rev. Dr. Rt. Markham, Whitechapel. 
Jeremiah Markland, Esq. M. A. 
Rev. Edmund Marshall. 
Rev. William Mason. 
George Mason, Esq. 
Rev. Robert Masters. 
Mr. James Matthews, Librarian at 

Shelburne House. 
Rev. Paul Henry Maty. 
Israel Mauduit, Esq, 
Sir Joseph Mawbey, Bart. 
Rev. Henry Meen. 



PREFACE. 



Ixxvii 



William Melmoth, Esq. 

Mr. Richard E. Mercier, Dublin. 

Rev. Henry Michell. 

Mr. Julius Mickle. 

Mr. Richard Miles, Numismatist. 

Edward Miller, Mus. D. 

Dr. Jeremiah Milles, Dean of Exeter. 

Rev. J. Mills, Cowbit. 

R.ev. Thomas Monro. 

Rev. James Knight Moor. 

James Moore, Esq. 

Samuel More, Esq. 

Rev. Dr. Thomas Morell. 

Rev. Thomas Morgan. 

Thomas Mortimer, Esq. 

Charles Morton, M. D. 

Benjamin Moseley, M. D. 

Joseph Moser, Esq. 

Rev. William Mounsey, Sproxton. 

Peter Muilman, Esq. 

Thomas Mulso, Esq. 

Arthur Murphy, Esq. 

S. Musgrave, M. D. 

Robert Mylne, Esq. Architect. 

Rev, Dr. Treadway Russell Nash. 

Rev. Dr. James Nasmith. 

Rev. Dr. Timothy Neve. 

Dr. W. Newcomb, Abp. of Armagh. 

Rev. Peter Newcome. 

James Neild, Esq. "Visitor of Prisons. 

Rev. Dr. R. Boucher Nickolls, Dean 
of Middleham. 

Rev. Ralph Nicholson. 

Rev. Dr. MatthevvNorton, Hinckley. 

Rev. Francis Oakley, Northampton. 

General Oglethorpe. 

Mr. S. Marsh Oram, Shaftesbury. 

Rev. Dr. Henry Owen. 

Rev. John Owsley, Blaston. 

Rev.Dr. William Paley, Archdeacon. 

Rev. John Parkhurst. 

James Parsons, M. D. 

Dr. J. Parsons, Bp. of Peterborough. 

Rev. Philip Parsons, Kent. 

John Paterson, Esq. Deputy. 

Mr. Samuel Paterson, Book Auc- 
tioneer. 

Mr. George Paton, Edinburgh. 

Sir George Onesiphorus Paul, Bart. 

Rev. Dr. Edward Pearson. 

Samuel Pegge, Esq. (L. E. and Paul 
Gemsege, junj 

Thomas Pennant, Esq. 

Dr. Thomas Percy, Bp. of Dromore. 

Kev. Thomas Percy, LL. D. 



Tho. Percival, M. D. Manchester. 

William Perfect, M. D. 

Mr. Alderman Pickett. 

Francis Pigott, Esq. Barrister. 

Mr. Richard Porson, Greek Professor. 

Dr. Beilby Porteus, Bp. of London. 

Rev. Robert Potter. 

John Pownall, Esq. 

Governor Thomas Pownall. 

Samuel Jackson Pratt, Esq. 

Sir John Prestwich. 

Rev. John Price, Bodleian Library, 

Rev. Dr. Richard Price. 

Rev. Dr. Joseph Priestley. 

Mr. Daniel Prince, Oxford. 

Sir John Pringle, Bart. 

Rev. John Prior. 

Rev. John Newell Puddicombe. 

Richard Pulteney, M. D. 

Henry James Pye, Esq. 

Robert Raikes, Esq. 

Mr. Charles Rathband. 

Isaac Reed, Esq. 

Sir Joshua Reynolds. 

Mr. Thomas Cox Reynolds. 

Rev. Dr. W, Richardson, Ireland. 

Rev. Dr. Gloster Ridley. 

Edward Rigby, Esq. Norwich. 

Joseph Ritson, Esq. 

John Peter Roberdeau, Esq. 

Henry Townley Roberdeau, Esq. 

Barre-Charles Roberts, Esq. 

Rev. Joseph Robertson. 

Mr. John Robinson, Hinckley. 

Rev. Robert Robinson, Cambridge. 

Charles Rogers, Esq. 

Rev. William Romaine. 

Major Hay man Rooke. 

Right Hon. George Rose. 

Samuel Rose, Esq. 

Rev. Thomas Rotheram. 

William Rowley, M. D. 

Major-gen. William Roy. 

Rev. Rogers Ruding. 

Benjamin Rush, M. D. Philadelphia. 

Rev. Sambrook Nicholas Russell. 

Rev. Thomas Russell. 

John Ryland, Esq. 

Mr. Jacob Schnebbelie. 

Isaac Schomberg, M. D. 

Rev. Dr. James Scott. 

John Scott, Esq. Amwell. 
Miss Anna Seward. 
Rev. Thomas Seward. 
William Seward, Esq. 



Ixxviii 



PREFACE. 



Granville Sharp, Esq. 

Mr. James Sharp, Mechanist. 

George Shaw, M. D. 

Rev. Stebbing Shaw. 

Mr. C. Shepherd, Gray's Inn. 

Rev. Dr. R. Shepherd, Archdeacon. 

Rev. Martin Sherlock. 

Samuel Foart Simmons, M. D. 

James Sims, M. D. 

James Six, Esq. Canterbury. 

Rev. James Six. 

Mr. Matthew Skinner, Pentonville. 

Henry Smeathman, Esq. 

Mrs. Charlotte Smith. 

Southern Faunist (Q. Who ?) 

Rev. Richard Southgate. 

Rev. John Spicer, Reading, 

George Steevens, Esq. 

Rev. Percival Stockdale. 

Rev. Sir James Stonehouse. 

Lieut. John Stoyle, R. N. 

Rev. Dr. John Strachey, Archdeacon. 

John Strange, Esq. 

Mr. Joseph Strutt, Engraver. 

Rev. Dr. John Sturges. 

Rev. Charles Sturges. 

Deane Swift, Esq. 

Henry Swinburne, Esq. (Porcustus.J 

Mr. John Tailby, Slawston. 

Miss Catharine Talbot. 

Mr. Isaac Tarrat. 

Rev. William Tasker. 

Rer. Anthony Temple. 

Rev. Giles Templeman. 

Philip Thicknesse, Esq. fPolyxena^ 

P. T. and A Wanderer J 
Rev. Josiah Thomas, Archdeacon. 
Mr. Nathaniel Thomas. 
Mrs. Thomas, of Newbold. 
Sir B.Thompson, Count of Rumford. 
John Thorpe, Esq. Bexley. 
Mr. John Throsby, Leicester. 
Rev. William Tooke. 
John Topham, Esq. 
Rev. Joshua Toulmin, Taunton. 
Rev. Dr. Joseph Towers. 
Rev. Micajah Towgood. 
Rev. James Townley. 
Francis Townsend, Esq. Herald. 
Rev. Dr. Thomas Townson. 
Rev. George Travis, Archdeacon. 
Rev. Dr. John Trusler. 
Rev. Dr. Josiah Tucker, Dean of 

Gloucester. 
Marmaduke Cuthbert Tunstall, Esq. 
Mark Cephas Tutet, Esq. 



Rev. Thomas Twining, 

Thomas Tyers, Esq. 

Thomas Tyrwhitt, Esq. 

Rev. Michael Tyson. 

H. W. Tytler, M. D. 

General Charles Vallancey. 

Rev. Dr. William Vincent, Dean of 
Westminster. 

Rev. Gilbert Wakefield. 

Mr. Francis Godolphin Waldron. 

Adam Walker, Esq. 

Mr. John Walker, Grammarian. 

Joseph Cooper Walker, Esq. 

Rev. John Wallis. 

Hon. Horace Walpole, E. of Orford. 

John Ward, LL. D. 

Dr. Edward Waring, Professor. 

Rev. Dr. John Warner. 

Dr. John Warren, Bishop of Bangor. 

Rev. Dr. Joseph Warton. 

Rev. Thomas Warton. 

Rev. John Watson, Halifax. 

Sir William Watson, M. D. 

Francis Webb, Esq. 

D.Wells, Esq. Burbach (OhservatorJ . 

William Charles Wells, M. D. 

Rev. John Wesley. 

Mr. Joseph Weston, Solihull. 

Mr. Richard Weston, Botanist. 

Rev. Peter Whalley. 

Rev. John Whitaker, Manchester. 

Samuel Whitbread, Esq. 

Thomas White, Esq. Naturalist. 

Rev. Gilbert White, Selborne. 

Rev. Joseph White, D. D. Professor. 

Caleb Whitefoord, Esq. 

William Whitehead, Esq. 

John Wilkes, Esq. 

John Eardley Wilmot, Esq. 

Ralph Willett, Esq. 

David Williams, Esq. 

John Williamson, Esq. 

Benjamin Wilson, Esq. 

Mr. George Witchell, Portsmouth. 

William Withering, M. D. 

Michael Wodhull, Esq. (L. L.J 

Rev. Dr. C. G. Woide. 

Mr. Isaac Wood, Shrewsbury. 

Mr. William Woodfall. 

Samuel Pipe Wolferstan, Esq. 

Rev. William Woolston, Adderbury. 

Mr. William Woty. 

Daniel Wray, Esq. 

Rev. Dr. Paul Wright. 

Arthur Young, Esq. 

Rev. Dr. Zouch. 



PREFACE. Ixxix 



In p. xvii. I have mentioned, on the authority of Sir John 
Hawkins, that the price given by Mr. Robert Dodsley for 
"London," Johnson's First Imitation of Juvenal, wsLsJifti/ pounds. 
But Mr. Boswell says, " The fact is, that, at a future conference, 
Dodsley bargained for the whole property of it, for which he 
gave Johnson ten guineas ,- who told me, ' I might, perhaps, 
have accepted of less ; but that Paul Whitehead had a little 
before got ten guineas for a Poem ; and I did not like to be less 
than Whitehead.' " — For " The Vanity of Human Wishes," 
his second Imitation of Juvenal, in 1749, with all the fame which 
he had acquired, it is certain that he received o\'\\y fifteen guineas, 
P. XX. There were two persons of the name of Macbeany 
Alexander and William ; they were both good scholars, and both 
were employed by the Booksellers ; but I cannot distinguish 
which was the one who was honoured by Dr. Johnson's protection ; 
nor can I discover any thing further of the history of either. 

In p. xxix. I have stated, correctly, that there is no Preface 
to that Year's Volume ; but in the first page of the Magazine for 
May, was introduced the following Johnsonian Address : 

" It is with a mixture of compassion and indignation, that we 
condescend to continue the dispute with the Authors and Pub- 
lishers of the London Magazine. To be engaged in a contest 
with such Antagonists, as it is no honour to overcome, is very dis- 
gusting ; and what honour can be gained by writing against 
those who cannot read ? There may, indeed, be some use in 
this mock controversy. We may, perhaps, be better prepared 
for a defence, if some abler Adversary should at any time attack 
us ; as the Roman soldiers in time of peace used to preserve 
their dexterity by discharging their javelins at a post. 

" Yet, perhaps, the deplorable stupidity of the Writers b}^ 
whom it is our fate to be opposed, is so far from making the con- 
troversy more easy to be carried on in a proper manner, that it 
often produces difficulties and perplexities. To treat weakness 
and folly with severity and roughness, would be thought insolent 
and cruel ; to use softer language and argument without satire, 
might probably encourage them to be less diffident of themselves, 
and consequently more troublesome to the world. 

" We are, indeed, for the most part inclined to lenity, and 
wish to still their clamours by gentle means ; but, since they 
seem absolutely insensible of our forbearance, we shall for once 
have recourse to severity, and prevail upon ourselves, in oppo- 
sition to our natural tenderness, to punish them by re-publishing 
their own papers, without any alteration, except marking a few 
pretty words in Italicks. 

" The following Postscript was drawn up by the Secretary of 
their Political Club, the greatest Genius in the whole Society, 



IXXX PREFACE. 

and a kind of Giant among Pigmies. We should think it, in 
general, by no means pardonable to make so despicable a 
Scribbler the object of ridicule ; but hope a little merriment may 
be decently indulged, when he ventures to assume an air of supe- 
riority and contempt ; when he runs away with triumph and ex- 
ultation, and hides his head with the arrogance of a conqueror. 

" ' An Exti^aordinary Postscript in the last 
London Magazine [1739],/?. 117. 
" ' I find by some Advertisements lately published in the News Papers, 
that Mr. Urban has been pleased to publish some Criticisms upon the Ac- 
counts I have sent you of the Debates in the Political Club. For this 
Reason I must desire you will acquaint the Publick, that 1 never read any 
Thing he publishes ; nor ever hear of any Thing he publishes, in the whole 
Circle of my Acquaintance ; which makes me conclude, that his Monthly 
Bundle of Galimatias is neither purchased nor read by any Man of common 
Sense in the Kingdom : Therefore, I shall not give myself the Trouble to 
read, and much less to answer any Criticisms he may, in order to fill up, 
find necessary to publish ,• for, if they are read by any Man of common 
Understanding, which I can hardly believe possible, he will easily discover 
the Falshood or Absurdity of the Criticism ; and as Fools generally favour 
one another, I know it is impossible to persuade them that their Brother 
is in a Mistake.—' 

" N. B. This Postscript is published by the Secretary^ to con- 
fute P. S's Criticism in the Gentleman^ s Magazine [1739], p. 92, 
and to justify what himself had asserted in the London Magazine 
Qi February y p. 62, that d is not sounded in Cold and Bold." 

P. xlix. Two little Jeux d^esprits of Mr. Edward Cave are 
printed in Vol. LXIV. pp. 41, 303. 

P. lii. The Rev. Moses Browne died Sept. 13, 1787. See Vol. 
LVII. p. 840 ; and an inscription to his memory, p. 932. 



The present Editor cannot conclude this desultory Preface 
without returning the most grateful acknowledgments to his 
numerous and learned Correspondents for favours which are 
equally the support and honour of the Gentleman's Maga- 
zine: amongst whom are some of the brightest Ornaments of 
the Episcopal and Judicial Benches ; of the Colleges of Phy- 
sicians and Surgeons ; of all the Universities ; and of almost 
every Scientific Society in the Empire. 

March 12, 1821. J. N. 



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